“I’m leading an almost pain free life.” How changing his exercise routine helped Jon to live well with osteoarthritis

Jon, who lives in Oxfordshire, was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knees two years ago. He was a keen runner and badminton player but chose to give them up when he found they made his arthritis pain worse.

Starting a new exercise journey can be daunting, but Jon was determined to find something to replace his love of running. Here, Jon tells us how he found the right exercises for him, and how staying active has helped his osteoarthritis pain.

Running with arthritis

Jon was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in July 2022. At the time, he was running every day and playing badminton regularly.

“I started picking up a lot more injuries in my knees and tendons,” says Jon. “That was how I knew things were beginning to go wrong.”

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body. While our joints are made of complex living tissue that our bodies constantly repair and maintain, osteoarthritis occurs when our bodies can no longer do this effectively. The cartilage becomes thin, and the joint cannot move as easily as before, causing pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling as the body attempts to repair the joint.

For a while, Jon made adaptations to his running routine so he could lessen his arthritis pain. “I stopped running on roads and did softer surfaces,” he says. “And I used to wear heavy-duty knee braces where you strap yourself up. But I couldn’t maintain the pace I used to.”

Many people are concerned that running will wear out their knees and cause osteoarthritis, but this isn’t the case. In fact, research shows that recreational running may reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. Many people with arthritis find that running works for them. The key thing is to avoid injuries, including by gradually building up stamina, and increasing balance and muscle strength.

Staying as active as possible has been proven to help people with arthritis manage their symptoms and pain. However, it’s important to listen to your body. In Jon’ s case, he found that running was making his osteoarthritis symptoms worse. So, he decided to stop running and started looking for a new exercise that would work better for him.

Where to start with a new exercise

While Jon had experience with other exercises, he was careful when finding something new. It was key to find something enjoyable and that he felt comfortable with, and to build up strength and stamina gradually so he didn’t get any injuries.

“When I got diagnosed, I phoned the Versus Arthritis helpline,” he says. “The lady I spoke to was really helpful and gave me some great information.”

Jon also spoke to his GP and was referred to his local public sports centre. “I got a one-to-one session with a specialist who understood MSK conditions,” he says.

“She devised a programme using the equipment at the gym, mainly weights, that are aimed at strengthening muscles and tendons.

“Weight training with the legs has made the big difference. My knees don’t give way and I don’t really have too much pain.”

Jon also decided to take up cycling. Many people with arthritis find that cycling is a type of exercise that works for them, building knee and hip strength and improving your range of movement.

“I wanted something else to give me the endorphin rush and keep me fit and healthy,” says Jon. “I’m a fair-weather cyclist so come spring and summer I’ll be out on my bike. I don’t want to take the risk in the winter and hurt my knees more if I come off the bike.”

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Supporting exercise with a healthy lifestyle

Staying active is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to living well with arthritis. It’s also important to get plenty of sleep, maintain a healthy weight, eat a well-balanced diet, and to explore which medicines and creams you find helpful including taking any prescribed medicines that you’ve agreed with your doctor.

“I’m mindful of what I eat,” says Jon. “There are some things that are claimed to be anti-inflammatory and good for arthritis symptoms, so I’m packing my diet with those. Salmon, mackerel, eggs, olives. Dark green leafy veg, broccoli, kale and walnuts.

Some people find they get help from approaches which aren’t part of national treatment guidelines, and so aren’t available on the NHS. “I’ve also tried lots of complementary therapies,” he adds. “Some things have helped. I’m supplementing prescribed medicines with supplements and I have acupuncture and a TENS machine.”

Still, Jon has found that since adding strength training to his routine, he has cut down on complementary therapies. “I’ve relied on those a lot less over the last 6 months than I used to,” he says. “I think it’s because of the physio and the gym work.”

How staying active has helped Jon

Jon has benefitted both mentally and physically from finding new exercises and staying active.

“Exercising is helping keep my weight down,” he says. “And a lot of what I’m doing is cardio which releases endorphins - almost the body’s own pain control. It’s keeping me good mentally.”

Jon was scheduled to have two knee replacements in February of this year, but he decided to cancel both operations. He is coping a lot better than he was and wants to put any surgery off until later in life.

“Strengthening my legs is really working,” he says. “I’m coping really well so I decided to cancel. I think I’m able to get by without implants.

“I’m leading an almost pain free life. I have a low-level ache in my knees and I get stiffness in the morning but that’s mainly it, unless I really overdo it cycling or do a big hike.”

Jon’s advice for staying active with osteoarthritis

When it comes to exercising with osteoarthritis, it’s important to find an exercise you enjoy and do it regularly (twice a week is a good place to start). You should start with small amounts of the exercise that aren’t too strenuous and build up gradually. Everyone is different, so it’s important to listen to your body and do what feels right for you.

Jon has lots of recommendations for people who have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and want to stay active.

“I think the key thing for people who are active and are concerned about what they can do is about adapting,” he says. “Either adapt what you’re doing so it’s more comfortable do less or replace it with something else.”

But what about people who aren’t so used to exercising?

“Get into routine,” he advises. “The problem is, to do exercise and physio, it hurts. Especially when you’re starting out. Start out in chunks, do a bit and come back. When you get into habits they become hard to break.”

Jon also recommends incorporating a reward into your exercise routine. “If I do a good walk or a hike, I’ll reward myself with a good coffee or a piece of cake,” he says.

Jon knows that the thought of being active with arthritis can be daunting. But he strongly vouches for a little bit of daily movement to reduce pain.

“I think a lot of people with arthritis wake up and think ‘how am I going to be today?’” he says. “It’s something you dread. But once you get past that and start moving around, it all helps.”