Got Arthritis? Exercise Can Help

If you suffer the pain and stiffness of arthritis, you may not be enthusiastic about exercising. But arthritis specialists say that's exactly what you need to do. It's advice that 65-year-old Sibyl Zaden has taken to heart. UGG Classic Short Boots A former marathon runner and triathlete, Zaden now suffers from osteoarthritis in her shoulders and knees. "My problem is lifting my arm," she says. "It's very painful. I can lift it halfway and that's it." Her knees hurt, too. But that doesn't stopped Zaden from going to the gym and getting on a treadmill for 15 to 30 minutes. Her doctor, UCLA Medical Center rheumatologist Roy Altman, says more people with arthritis should follow her lead. "The one thing that people don't understand is that you have to do something," Altman says. "When you don't do anything with osteoarthritis of the knee, arthritis actually gets worse."