GET MOVING (GENTLY) TO HELP EASE, PREVENT PAIN 

Some days, arthritis pain may make you not want to do much more than hit the couch. But the Arthritis Foundation says the following tips can help prevent and decrease the pain and disability of osteoarthritis: 

Make movement a daily routine. Incorporate exercise into your daily life, even if you only add a daily walk of 15 to 30 minutes. If pain or being overweight makes it difficult to exercise, try one of the Arthritis Foundation’s Life Improvement Series Programs, which apply less stress to joints.

Control your weight. For every one pound you lose, that’s four pounds of pressure off each knee. Losing as little as 11 pounds may reduce joint pain and help prevent knee osteoarthritis. For those already living with arthritis symptoms, losing 15 pounds can cut knee pain in half. 

Know your risks. Although heredity and other factors can put a person at risk for developing osteoarthritis, a healthy lifestyle can play a significant role in preventing and successfully managing osteoarthritis. Find out your risk for osteoarthritis and get a personalized plan to reduce your risks at www.fightarthritispain.org.

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