<s>[INST] What's the story with exercising? [/INST] It's pretty much mandatory: If you want to feel less arthritis pain, take fewer medications, improve your flexibility, get stronger, and avoid joint replacement surgery, you have to exercise, says Justus J. Fiechtner, MD, an internist in private practice in Lansing, MI. "Medications may soothe arthritis pain, but if you don't exercise, you're never going to increase your strength and, therefore, your function." Most types of moderate, low-impact exercise are helpful, but experts especially recommend strength-training, stretching, and water workouts are good for arthritis health. In one Tufts University study, arthritis patients who started strength-training reported a 43% dip in arthritis pain compared with only a 12% drop in non-strength trainers. The stronger the muscles around your joints, the greater the pressure they take off those joints. Gentle stretching improves your flexibility and increases your range of motion, which means your body can handle tasks that are normally tricky for arthritis patients, like reaching overhead for something off the top shelf, or turning your neck in the car to see what's behind you. Try yoga, also an excellent form of relaxation, says Fiechtner. For arthritis, he recommends hatha yoga, a system of gentle stretches and balancing exercises. Make sure your instructor understands your special needs. As for the pool, "water takes stress off joints and blocks some of the pain sensation, allowing people who normally can't exercise to engage in activity, loosen stiff joints, strengthen muscles, and see lasting results," says Mary Rodts, an orthopedic nurse practitioner. You don’t need to log marathon hours at the gym to see results, either. Just 10 minutes a day may cut the risk of developing arthritis symptoms by 28%, according to a study in Arthritis Research & Therapy. Regular activity enhances circulation to keep joints lubricated. For best results, aim for 30 minutes a day, but even short bouts can help. Source: Prevention. Link: https://www.prevention.com/health/a20469909/answers-to-your-arthritis-questions/. Field: Rheumatology. Disease: Arthritis </s>