Gout and exercise

Gout and exercise

Most people would think that exercise would be detrimental to gout sufferers but this is incorrect! A recent study has shown that men who participated in regular aerobic exercise and physiotherapy had a 50% less chance of developing gout than men who were inactive.

The most obvious issue with gout is that the main symptoms are painful and sensitive joints and this is an inhibiting factor in doing exercise. It is important to note from the beginning that one should never exercise during an acute episode of gout when your joints are inflamed. This is a big no-no!

So how does exercise help? When your joints are sensitive, one tends to be more inactive. The following then tends to happen: the joints then become less flexible; the joints and muscles atrophy (weaken) which in turn results in accelerated bone loss. This bone loss will then in turn intensify the pain symptoms experienced from gout.

Exercise and physio will help to keep a person in good shape, help them to maintain a healthy weight, improve their energy levels, and help to improve bone, joint and muscle strength which gout will slowly deteriorate over time. Exercise will also; ultimately, promote faster healing from a gout episode. On a separate note, it has been shown that although exercise has no effect in breaking up uric acid crystals, it does help to lower the uric acid levels and maintain the lower level.

There are four elements of exercise that should be adhered to in order to obtain the maximum benefit from exercise:

• Mobility/range of motion exercises: The main focus of these exercises is to keep the joints as flexible as possible to minimise stiffness.
• Strength exercise regime: Resistance exercise will help to increase and maintain muscle strength and joint integrity by offloading the stress the stress on the joints.
• Cardiovascular exercise: Improved cardiovascular function and improved blood circulation will assist in controlling a person’s weight and enhancing their energy levels. Remember that it is best to choose low impact (cycling) or even non-impact (swimming) types of exercise to minimise the stress placed on the affected joint/s.
• Stretching: This will help to improve flexibility and muscle strength.

There are a few things one has to remember though when performing exercise:

1. Always consult your doctor before partaking in an exercise regime. Factors such as the stage of gout one is experiencing, the severity of the gout, and which joints are affected will all determine what type of exercise is recommended.
2. Although exercise has been shown to lower uric acid levels, strenuous exercise can actually increase the uric acid levels. Stay well hydrated as dehydration has been shown to trigger a gout attack.

Contact the experts at Ergotec Health to find out more.