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Physical activity is an important but underused intervention for adults with arthritis. Studies have shown that physical activity has many benefits: decreased pain, improved quality of life, independence and physical functioning (aerobic capacity and muscle strength), and mood. In addition, physical activity delays the onset of disability. In 2010, A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis identified physical activity as one of the top four interventions ready for widespread dissemination.
In 2011, the Arthritis Foundation (AF) convened experts to produce prioritized environmental and policy strategies to increase physical activity among adults with arthritis.
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Influential Sectors
The strategies were addressed within the following six sectors:
- Community and Public Health: National, state and local public health agencies; aging services; schools of public health; volunteer and nonprofit organizations that work with communities and constituencies on arthritis and other issues of aging; faith-based institutions; and governmental and nongovernmental organizations that could promote physical activity among their constituencies in a way that is safe and effective.
- Health Care: Licensed health care professionals working with or serving adults in a variety of settings as providers; public and private insurers; and health care administrators and managers.
- Transportation, Land Use and Community Design: National, state and local organizations, agencies, boards and governing bodies that address transportation, development patterns, built environment, public spaces, public works, and community design and planning issues.
- Business and Industry: Public and private employers, large and small, as well as worksite wellness programs, including those that provide access to fitness facilities and activities.
- Park, Recreation, Fitness and Sport: Public and private organizations invested in promoting, supporting and providing recreation and fitness opportunities for children and adults.
- Mass Media and Communication: Organizations that develop health communications or engage in public and private marketing of messages on the importance of physical activity for adults and available evidence-based interventions.
Priority Strategies
The list of top priority environmental and policy strategies, which are practical, doable within 1-2 years, likely to have the greatest impact on adults with arthritis, and are sustainable include:
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Priority Environmental and Policy Strategies for Improving Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis |
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Community and Public Health |
Public health, aging services networks, faith-based organizations and other community agencies should invest resources in the dissemination and delivery of evidence-based physical activity programs for adults with arthritis in convenient settings. |
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Health Care |
Health care systems should require licensed health care professionals to ask arthritis patients about physical activity levels at every visit, screen for arthritis-specific barriers to physical activity, encourage physical activity, and recommend evidence-based community interventions or rehabilitation therapies when appropriate. |
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Transportation, Land Use and Community Design |
Policies should be put in place and reinforced to create or expand efforts to promote active living environments that can support adults with arthritis being physically active. |
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Business and Industry |
Comprehensive worksite wellness programs should be inclusive and explicitly incorporate the needs of adults with arthritis in their programs without requiring disclosure of arthritis diagnosis. |
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Park, Recreation, Fitness and Sport |
Park, recreation, fitness and sport professionals should receive training on how to adapt and modify physical activity programs and exercises for adults with arthritis and assist them in initiating and sustaining appropriate physical activity. |
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Mass Media and Communication |
Available evidence-based physical activity interventions for adults with arthritis should be promoted through information, guidelines, signage, media promotion and public outreach. |
Action Briefs
Sector-specific action briefs, which highlight the priority strategies by sector, are available:
Business and Industry
Community and Public Health
Health Care
Media and Communication
Park, Recreation, Fitness and Sport
Transportation, Land Use and Community Design
Partner Resources
Exercise is Medicine
A Nation in Motion
American Fitness Index
Background Information
A white paper summarizes relevant policies and scientific literature. It includes a literature review of barriers and facilitators to physical activity among adults with arthritis and a search of relevant organizational policies.
