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How does exercise help new moms with rheumatoid arthritis?

Related Topics: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Exercise
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“Movement is good for the joints, and we know that people with RA do worse if they are inactive,” says Shreyasee Amin, MD, a rheumatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “This is true if you are pregnant, not pregnant, or recently gave birth.”

Exercise has benefits for everyone – especially women with RA. For starters, people with RA are at increased risk for heart disease, and regular exercise helps reduce this risk. What’s more, exercise helps build bones. Steroids to manage inflammation of RA can weaken bones.

Exercise also boosts endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, which can help combat baby blues or depression. Endorphins are also natural painkillers, so a 20-minute swim or walk may also help relieve your joint pain if you are flaring.

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