Osteoarthritis affects more than 30 million adults in the United States and plenty of South Portlanders. Arthritis causes changes in the joint that can lead to all sorts of trouble including stiffness, pain, and difficulty with movement.

One thing that can typically help is exercise. Strengthening the muscles around a joint and in the limb affected by arthritis can help tremendously. And exercise using the pool is one of the best things to try as the water unloads the joint as the water carries our body weight.

A common question we answer as physical therapists is how much does aquatic exercise actually help?

A recent review article of the current literature is the best place to find data on the topic. This systematic review article form 2016 looked at 743 studies and included 1,190 participants. The review concludes that you can expect on average a 13 percent improvement in quality of life and a 5 percent improvement in pain.

The incremental improvements with exercise in the pool can be highly significant. Every little bit helps we find. Check out the schedule at our community pool and maybe there’s a class or some open swim time you can use to help with your pain.

Good luck and take care of yourself.

Jason Adour is a member of Age Friendly South Portland and a physical therapist with the Maine Strong Balance Centers.

Article referenced: Bartels EM et al. Aquatic Exercise for the Treatment of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 3. Art No. CD005523.