Doctors’ New Advice For Joint Pain: Get Moving Wall Street Journal By Laura Landro Dr. Mark Pedersen April 12, 2011

Doctors increasingly are recommending physical activity to help osteoarthritis patients, overturning the more traditional medical advice for their people to take it easy to protect their joints.

The new treatment approach comes as osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease once considered a problem of old age, has begun showing up in more middle-aged and young adults as a result of obesity and sports injuries. Studies have shown that weight loss, combined with exercises aimed at improving joint function and building up muscles that support the joints, can significantly improve patients’ health and quality of life compared with medication alone.

“The most dangerous exercise you can do when you have arthritis is none,” says Kate Lorig, director of the Patient Education Research Center at Stanford University.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the spaces between the joints wears away. Strengthening the muscles around the knees or hip can help support the joints and take over some of the shock-absorbing functions played by cartilage, according to Harvard Medical School experts.

Stronger muscles can also hold the joints in the most functional and least painful position. Regular activity can also replenish lubrication to the cartilage of the joint to reduce stiffness and pain. And aerobic activity such as swimming that doesn’t put heavy stress on the hips, knees and spine can reduce inflammation in the joints, as well as improving overall fitness and weight control

This has been my advice for years. People with aches and pains especially in their joints are inclined to not exercise because it is uncomfortable. However, if they will get moving and participate in regular low-impact exercise, their muscles will get stronger. This, in turn, will help support the joints. Joint pain will decrease and the person will begin feeling better.

Reducing inflammation is also important. Many people with osteoarthritis tend to reach for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. But these drugs can cause numerous side effects. I encourage ANYONE with arthritis issues to add Fruit of the Spirit to their daily diet. 1-2 ounces twice a day helps reduce joint inflammation. This is due to the natural anti-inflammatory benefit of the High Antioxidant Whole Fruits in Fruit of the Spirit.