Most people don’t mention weight lifting and arthritis in the same sentence. But in fact, a number of studies have shown that proper weight training can be beneficial both for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee. The reason it helps is because muscles protect joints, and weak muscles allow cartilage to wear out.
The types of weights that have been studied include free weights and weight machines, as well as exercise bands, which offer a different type of resistance. And while most were effective with the right strategy, it’s best to start with weight machines to increase muscle strength. The next step is to progress to dumbbells, and after several months working with a qualified trainer, resistance bands could be used at home to maintain strength.
Strategy
The most effective strategy is that participants needed to increase the weight they lifted as time goes on. This allows the benefits to continue to build as muscle strength improves. And the vast majority of successful trainers will suggest that you must workout at least three times a week. In one study on osteoarthritis of the knee, participants benefited from doing three sets of eight reps of various weight machine exercises including biceps curl, chest press, leg press, leg curl, leg extension and standing calf raise.
Benefits
Arthritis sufferers who do strength training with weights see an improvement in pain severity, physical function, balance and walking speed. It can even help those who are disabled due to knee degeneration, because working out with weight machines strengthens quadriceps muscles, which support the knee joint.
Things you must consider
There haven’t been enough studies on the long-term effects of resistance training for arthritis patients, including its safety over time, how the disease progresses, or how psychological outcomes such as depression might be related. Because of that, more information is needed before any solid recommendations can be made for the long haul.