Arkansas Department of Health

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Arthritis

What is Arthritis?

Over 50 million Americans have arthritis, making it the number one cause of disability in the country. These numbers are only going to keep growing-unless we take a stand. Click here to learn more from the Arthritis Foundation.

Physical Activity: The Arthritis Pain Reliever.

Take charge of your arthritis with moderate physical activity. More than 46 million Americans live with arthritis, and many of them are discovering that moderate exercise improves the way they feel. Click here to learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Promoting Physical Activity.

The Arkansas Arthritis Program is promoting the CDC’s public awareness campaign “Physical Activity: The Arthritis Pain Reliever." Click here to learn more information.

Benefits of Physical Activity:

• Reduce pain and improve function by 40% among adults with arthritis
• Reduce heart disease risk by 40%
• Reduce diabetes risk by almost 50%
• Reduce mortality and recurrent breast cancer risk by nearly 50%
• Reduce high blood pressure incidences by about 50%
• Lower stroke risk by 27%
• Lower colon cancer risk by more than 60%
• Decrease depression as effectively as certain medications and behavioral therapies

Walk With Ease

The Arthritis Foundation Walk with Ease Program is a community-based physical activity and self-management education program. It can be done by individuals using the Walk with Ease workbook on their own, or by groups led by trained leaders. Both the individual and group formats are set up as a structured six-week program. While walking is the central activity, Walk with Ease also includes health education, stretching and strengthening exercises, and motivational strategies. “Walk with Ease was specifically developed for adults with arthritis who want to be more physically active. The program is also appropriate for people without arthritis, particularly those with diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, who want to get more active. The only pre-requisite is the ability to be on your feet for at least 10 minutes without increased pain. Click here for more information.

Walk With Ease Partners:

• Area Agencies on Aging
• Arkansas Arthritis Foundation
• Arkansas Disability and Health Program
• Arkansas Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program
• Arkansas Minority Health Commission
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Centers on Aging and Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Help your patients take charge.

 As a healthcare provider, you can:

1. Assess the current physical activity levels of your patients through the use of physical activity vital signs (PAVS),
2. Provide your patient with brief counseling and a physical activity prescription, and
3. Refer to an evidence base program such as Walk With Ease.

The PAVS consists of two questions:

1. How many days per week do you engage in moderate to strenuous exercise like a brisk walk?
2. How many minutes do you engage in exercise at this level?

 

Resources & References

• Communication Toolkit
• http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/arthritis/index.html
• http://www.exerciseismedicine.org
• https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools-resources/walk-with-ease/
• https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/interventions/campaigns/index.htm
• https://oaaction.unc.edu/resource-library/for-community-partners/

Office Information

Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Our office is closed on all published state holidays.

Ashley King, Arthritis Program Manager
4815 W. Markham Street, Slot #6
Little Rock, AR 72205
Office: 501-661-2279