Stretching

• Stretching is done to improve the elasticity of the soft tissues in the body, those being the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Stretching should be done on a daily basis; try to do 10 minutes a day as part of an overall exercise routine. Depending on where your osteoarthritis pain is, there are different types of stretches you can do for these areas. Tai Chi and water therapy are good ways to stretch out the body in a less rigorous way. Ask your doctor to recommend some good stretching exercises for you most painful areas or have them refer you to a qualified physical therapist.
  
  

Aerobic Conditioning

• Aerobic conditioning is not only beneficial for the heart and lungs but it also improves circulation and blood in the body. In people with osteoarthritis, the key to aerobic conditioning is to keep the exercises as low impact as possible. Aerobic activity should be done for no more that 20 to 30 minutes every day. Swimming and walking in water is a good form of aerobic conditioning that takes the weight off your joints and is low stress on the body. Other good aerobic conditioning exercises include riding a stationary bike or using an elliptical trainer.
  
  

Strength Training

• Strengthening is a vital part of an osteoarthritis exercise routine. Strengthening and building the muscles in the body helps to create better control of the body while doing aerobic exercise. Because muscles take longer to heal, strengthening exercises should be no more than 10 minutes every other day. Once again the ideal way to build muscle if you have osteoarthritis is with low impact exercises. Resistance bands, Pilates and yoga are all excellent ways to tone and shape muscles while decreasing the pain of osteoarthritis.
  
  

Combination

• You can combine all three aspects of your osteoarthritis exercise plan by doing exercises in water. Exercises like swimming and water aerobics not only build cardiovascular health but they also build muscle and help to stretch out your soft tissue. It's a good thing to keep in mind when considering what type of exercise program might be most beneficial for your condition.