HealthCentral.com discusses the importance of improving balance and flexibility to help ease joint pain according to experts including Wai-Kwong Hui, PT, DPT, MS, physical therapist at HSS.

“When you sit around too much or do not move around enough, the muscles in your legs, trunk, and even the arms will become weaker and lose some of their flexibility,” explained Hui. That atrophy can make daily activities like climbing stairs or putting groceries away feel like workouts, he added.

Hui continued, ”Plus, in people with inflammatory arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lack of movement can translate to increased stiffness and pain in whatever joints are affected, be it knees, ankles, hips, feet, shoulders, wrists, hands, or the spine. And when one area is always stiff, it can cause additional tightness and pain elsewhere. Over time, you can also lose mobility and function.

Hui provided the publication with suggested low-impact strength and mobility exercises to improve function that will be featured and released in an article series in the weeks to come. 

Read the full article at HealthCentral.com.