8 Tips to Make Exercising With Psoriatic Arthritis More Comfortable

If you’re able to, working with a specialist like a physical therapist can help you learn proper techniques. However, that’s not always possible, and there are many videos and articles explaining how to do exercises correctly. You can browse through SELF’s fitness section for tutorials or the American Council on Exercise database. Beyond that, performing movements slowly and focusing on how you’re moving can help you with form.

4. Try low-impact cardio if you’re new to working out.

Michael Humphrey, CSCS and physical therapist at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois, says cardio is a great entry point for people who are just starting a fitness program or are jumping back into one after a hiatus. Beginning with a short, gentle, low-impact workout that you can consistently complete may help you build momentum.

Humphrey suggests choosing activities like walking, swimming, water aerobics, or the elliptical to elevate your heart rate without pounding your joints. Biking can be a great low-impact activity if you don’t have psoriatic-arthritis-related sacroiliac joint pain, according to Dr. Iversen. (The sacroiliac joints connect the lowest part of your spine with the two sides of your pelvis.) If you need something gentler, she recommends yoga or tai chi.

Dr. Bilsborrow says you may be able to run or do other high-impact workouts if you enjoy them and your symptoms are well-controlled. It’s safest to consult a physical therapist or rheumatologist first to discuss whether these may be harmful to your joints, Dr. Iversen says.

5. Consider adding resistance training.

You may worry about putting any sort of weight on joints that can already be painful. However, strength training is a good way to build muscle (which helps support your joints) and reduce your arthritis pain—as long as your form is good and you’re not exacerbating your symptoms, according to Dr. Bilsborrow. To develop a strength-training routine that won’t put too much strain on your joints, all the experts we spoke to suggested working closely with a professional if you are able to.

To avoid injuries, it’s really important to consider your particular situation when adding weights. According to Dr. Iversen, psoriatic arthritis often affects the DIP joints (the small finger joints, closest to your nail beds), which can make it really difficult to safely lift a heavy barbell. In that case, you may want to lift lighter dumbbells if you can tolerate them, or use weighted resistance cuffs that encircle your ankles and wrists, Dr. Iversen says. (The Fragraim Ankle Weights are one popular option on Amazon, $21.)

If you experience a lot of fatigue, Humphrey recommends being strategic with your workout by focusing on compound exercises that involve using multiple joints. These target multiple muscle groups at once, offering more bang for your buck.

Deadlifts, squats, and push-ups are all good examples of compound movements.

6. Stretch throughout the day (including before and after strength training).

Dr. Iversen encourages people to stretch and move throughout the day because that can help with joint stiffness, especially if your lifestyle involves sitting at a computer for hours every day. “Studies have shown that it’s very important to change position often, meaning every hour or so if you can, whether it’s to get up and get a glass of water or change your position at your desk,” Dr. Iversen says.

Even if you’re active throughout the day, it’s really important to stretch and warm up if you’re going to do strength training, Dr. Iversen says. She explains that when you have joint pain, you tend to flex your joints by default. The problem is, this creates tightness in your extensor muscles (such as triceps, quads, and back extensors), which can impact your form and increase your risk of injury. The specific stretches she recommends vary from person to person. “I tend to have people focus on what’s bothering them the most,” Dr. Iversen says.

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