Exercise, Weight Loss May Ease Osteoarthritis Pain

The statistics are staggering. Nearly one in three adults suffer from arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of this potentially debilitating disease.

New research finds something as easy as losing a few pounds can go a long way toward easing the pain.

Joe Grimes has osteoarthritis in both of his knees.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. The cartilage covering the ends of the bones in the joint deteriorates.

Grimes is in shape, unlike many overweight Americans with osteoarthritis, and his workout regime helps keep the aches away.

"One pound may not be such a big difference. But five pounds ... it's amazing the difference it can make across arthritic joints and back pain as well as knee pain, hip pain etcetera," said Dr. Robert Dimeff of The Cleveland Clinic.

A study just released in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism followed 142 sedentary, overweight or obese adults with knee arthritis. Researchers found for each pound lost here was a four-pound reduction in force hitting their knees.

In addition to weight loss, experts say exercise done properly will help potentially stall the progression of osteoarthritis.

"If a person's under active with arthritis, meaning they don't move the joint, that they don't stress the joint, then they actually will accelerate their arthritis," said Dimeff.

And knowing that is something that keeps Grimes in the gym.

Dimeff said if you live long enough, you will eventually get arthritis. But managing it with weight loss and exercise can help keep pain at bay.