Pain reduces and mobility increases through exercise programmes

An exercise programme for older Asian people in New York has had great success, says a report from the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Six eight-week sessions of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP) and three eight-week yoga exercise classes were conducted by bilingual instructors at four centres for older people. The programmes promote self-management of arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions through exercise. 

Almost 200 people participated in the programme and 119 people completed a survey at the end of the classes.

Nearly all respondents were female and age 65 or older.

• 48% fewer participants had pain on a daily basis after completing the programme

• 69% more participants could climb several flights of stairs after the programme

• 83% more participants could bend, kneel, or stoop

• 50% more participants could lift/carry groceries

• 39% of participants felt the programme reduced their fatigue

• 30% participants felt that the programme reduced their stiffness

“The study results indicate that the hospital’s Bone Health Initiative has a positive impact on the musculoskeletal health of the Asian senior population,” says Huijuan Huang who co-ordinated the programme. “While further research is needed, Hospital for Special Surgery will continue to offer culturally-sensitive programs to this community to help seniors stay active, decrease pain and improve their overall health.”

The Asian older adult population in New York City grew by 64% from 2000 to 2010, and one in four lived in poverty in 2010.

“Getting seniors to be active in any way will generally improve their quality of life and help them function better in their everyday activities,” says Dr Linda Russell from the Hospital for Special Surgery. “People believe that if you have arthritis you shouldn’t exercise, but appropriate exercises actually help decrease pain.”