I'm 51, and I've noticed that my knees creak every time I get up off the floor. Do I have arthritis? Possibly! What am I doing about it? Exercising!
Arthritis (translation: joint inflammation). Almost everyone will get at least a touch of it, if they live long enough.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form. Basically, our joints (where bones meet) are covered with a spongy, cushioning cartilage. Over time, the cartilage can wear thin and tear. That creates the bone on bone senstion of osteoarthritis, which leads to stiffness and mild to severe pain.
When people have osteoarthritis, the inclination is to stay away from exercsiing the affected area. That's a mistake: rest will weaken the muscles surrounding the joints, and make the arthritis worse.
The American Council on Exercise recommends low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or rowing. Don't go crazy, intensity wise, but exercise often, and make sure you warm-up and cool-down with each session. Judge how your body feels afterward: if you have musculoskeletal pain more than two hours after a workout, reduce your intensity even more the next time.
Always try to maintain proper body alignment when exercising, poor posture can exasperate
arthritis!
Rheumatoid arthritis also affects the joints, as well as other body organs and tissues. Joint inflammation, stiffness, swelling, and deformity can all be sympotoms of this disease. Exercise can still help, but medical care is a must.
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