How Exercise May Improve Treatment Outcomes for Psoriatic Arthritis (and Vice Versa)
Regular movement may help improve your psoriatic arthritis symptoms by reducing pain and stiffness.
When you are living with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), you may worry that exercise would cause flares of your joint pain. That’s not necessarily the case: The American College of Rheumatology generally recommends exercise to help protect your flexibility and mobility.
“We find that people who have arthritis and people who have psoriatic arthritis in particular, really benefit from regular movement,” says Hana Conlon, NP, Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner with Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.
Conlan explains that PsA, an autoimmune condition, can cause different kinds of inflammation in the skin, joints, and tendons. For example:
Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the membrane around the tendons
Enthesitis is inflammation where tendons and ligaments attach to bone
Dactylitis is inflammation of the joints in the fingers and toes
In general, inactivity may worsen this inflammation.
How might exercise help reduce psoriatic arthritis symptoms?
Exercise may help improve treatment outcomes for your psoriatic arthritis by:
Strengthening the muscles that support a joint
Reducing bone loss
Reducing pain, swelling, and stiffness
Improving mobility and range of motion
Fighting fatigue and improving energy levels
Maintaining weight to help reduce strain on the joints
According to Conlon, when you first start treatment for PsA, you might not feel well and could have difficulty moving. Taking medication for your PsA may reduce symptoms and make it easier to exercise. At the same time, exercise may support your medication and improve your treatment outcomes.
How do you start exercising safely with psoriatic arthritis?
When you’re starting exercise after a diagnosis of PsA, you may want to visit a physical therapist or a trainer who can give you safe and effective stretches that you can do on a daily basis. Always remember to talk to your doctor to see what breadth of activities are safe for you given your whole health picture.
If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort during exercise, make sure you tell your provider. While it could be a sign that you haven’t moved in a while and need to be loosened up, it could also mean that your psoriatic arthritis treatment isn’t working well or that something else is wrong.
- Hana Conlon, NPHana Conlon, NP is a certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in rheumatology at Columbia University.
References
Arthritis Foundation. (n.d.). Enthesitis and PsA.
Arthritis Foundation. (n.d.). Healthy lifestyle habits when you have PsA.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Physical activity for arthritis.
National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Tenosynovitis.
Ogdie, Alexis, et al. (2020). Treatment guidelines in psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatology.
Singh, Jasvinder A., et al. (2019). 2018 American College of Rheumatology/National Psoriasis Foundation guideline for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Yamamoto, Toshiyuki. (2015). Optimal management of dactylitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Open Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews.