Balance Exercises for Arthritis

Science shows that balance training has big benefits for people with arthritis and related conditions.

Consider the Evidence:

• Osteoarthritis:In a study published in 2015 inClinical Rehabilitation, people with osteoarthritis (OA) recovering from knee surgery who did balance training in addition to other physical therapy exercises had better mobility, balance and function than those who didn’t do balance exercises.
• Ankylosing spondylitis:People with ankylosing spondylitis who included balance exercises in their physical therapy for seven months improved their balance and quality of life, according to a study in theArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• Fibromyalgia:Balance training improved function and reduced fall risk after six weeks in a study of people with fibromyalgia, published in theArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• Rheumatoid arthritis:Women with rheumatoid arthritis or OA in their lower limbs who did balance exercises at home for four months had an improvement in their fall risk and stability. The study was published in theArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Three Key Moves

Try these balance exercises, which were used in the research.

• Single-leg stand:Stand by a counter to catch yourself. Lift one leg off the ground for 10 seconds. Switch sides. Build up to one minute for each leg.
• Tandem stand:Place one foot in front of the other with the toes of the back foot touching the heel of the front foot. Hold for 10 seconds then switch sides. Build up to one minute for each leg.
• Chair stand:Stand up from a chair without using your hands. Work up to 10 reps.

Related Resources:

• Arthritis Exercises
• Yoga for Arthritis
• How Exercise Helps Your Joints
• Weight Training 101