Living with osteoarthritis is a daily battle since arthritis causes the breakdown of cartilage, which results in wear and tear on your joints. Performing physical activity in order to improve your health can seem like a difficult and painful undertaking. Or so you think! Exercise is for everyone no matter what a person's level of mobility.

The benefits of exercise are psychological and physical. First and foremost, exercise helps boost your self-esteem and sense of well-being. You no longer feel limited in what you can do. Exercise helps increase the number of activities you can accomplish in a day. This alone is a good reason to start today with a little walk around the block.

Physically, exercise helps keep joints flexible and surrounding muscles strong. Someone who suffers from osteoarthritis should have a goal of maintaining his or her activity level. Adding range of motion exercises helps keep the full movement of the joint and sometimes increases it to a higher level. You may find that after these exercises you walk more easily, go up and down stairs with a bit more zing or feel less pain in your joints. Adding weight-bearing activities helps your muscles and bones stay strong so that you can do all your daily activities.

Exercise also helps the body ward off other conditions and diseases that can worsen your health. A cardiovascular exercise program combined with a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, lessening the stress put on your joints. Exercise also helps lower the incidence of diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease.

These are just a few of the benefits from incorporating exercise into your day. However, when you start a new activity and you notice a decline in your range of motion or activity level, additional pain or discomfort or worsening of your condition, modify your routine to lessen the amount you are doing and see your doctor to make sure you are exercising properly.