Weight training, which involves using weights while you exercise, can help a person strengthen their muscles, including the ones surrounding thejoints. Strong muscles help in stabilizing the joints. While that makes sense and sounds like something we all should be doing, you may wonder whether weight training is appropriate for people withosteoarthritis.
PeopleImages / Getty Images
Before we answer that question, let’s sort out some terms that are often used interchangeably:strength training, weight training, and resistance exercise. Strength training is the broader term that encompasses the other two.
People with osteoarthritis, as well as the othertypes of arthritis, have long been encouraged to keep moving and to participate in regular physical activity or exercise. Primarily, low-impact exercise and range-of-motion exercise is recommended for people with arthritis. That’s exactly the source of confusion. If weight resistance is added to an exercise regimen, does it hurt more than help someone with osteoarthritis?
Weight training can be helpful, as stronger muscles can take some of the load off your joints. But you have to be careful. You could make arthritis worse if you injure the joint. If your workout causes pain in the affected joints, you may need to scale back the weights or choose other exercises.
Research on Weight Training and Osteoarthritis
Peak muscle strength normally occurs in your mid-20s and is maintained into your 60s. However, strength declines. By the time you are 80 years old, your strength is about half that of a normal young adult. The loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with age is called sarcopenia.
Muscle weakness is also common with osteoarthritis, especially of the knee extensors. Muscle weakness occurring with osteoarthritis is linked to an increased risk offunctional limitationsand disability. Muscle strength, especially knee extensor strength, has been found to be protective against developing functional limitations in those with osteoarthritis.
Appropriate Level of Weight Training
As you prepare to engage in a weight training program, you should:
Possible Dangers of Exercise
There’s no evidence to suggest that older adults with osteoarthritis who exercise face a greater risk of adverse events (e.g., worsening pain) or that they are unable to effectively strengthen their muscles compared to younger adults. In fact, some level of exercise is possible no matter one’s age or the severity of osteoarthritis.
Reasonably, we can assume that increased age or increased severity of osteoarthritis may necessitate using less weight in weight training. However, it can still be done—just at the level that is appropriate.
Be smart. Stop exercising and notify your medical team if you experience:
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Liao CD, Chen HC, Kuo YC, Tsauo JY, Huang SW, Liou TH.Effects of muscle strength training on muscle mass gain and hypertrophy in older adults with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1703-1718. doi:10.1002/acr.24097UpToDate.Patient guidelines for weight-resistance training in osteoarthritisArthritis Foundation.Weight training 101Additional ReadingLatham N, Liu CJ.Strength training in older adults: the benefits for osteoarthritis.Clin Geriatr Med. 2010;26(3):445-459. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2010.03.006
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Liao CD, Chen HC, Kuo YC, Tsauo JY, Huang SW, Liou TH.Effects of muscle strength training on muscle mass gain and hypertrophy in older adults with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1703-1718. doi:10.1002/acr.24097UpToDate.Patient guidelines for weight-resistance training in osteoarthritisArthritis Foundation.Weight training 101Additional ReadingLatham N, Liu CJ.Strength training in older adults: the benefits for osteoarthritis.Clin Geriatr Med. 2010;26(3):445-459. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2010.03.006
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Liao CD, Chen HC, Kuo YC, Tsauo JY, Huang SW, Liou TH.Effects of muscle strength training on muscle mass gain and hypertrophy in older adults with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1703-1718. doi:10.1002/acr.24097UpToDate.Patient guidelines for weight-resistance training in osteoarthritisArthritis Foundation.Weight training 101
Liao CD, Chen HC, Kuo YC, Tsauo JY, Huang SW, Liou TH.Effects of muscle strength training on muscle mass gain and hypertrophy in older adults with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1703-1718. doi:10.1002/acr.24097
UpToDate.Patient guidelines for weight-resistance training in osteoarthritis
Arthritis Foundation.Weight training 101
Latham N, Liu CJ.Strength training in older adults: the benefits for osteoarthritis.Clin Geriatr Med. 2010;26(3):445-459. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2010.03.006
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
