Getting off the couch is the best way to fight osteoarthritis! According to the Arthritis Foundation, moving is the best medicine to fight the pain. Exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness, builds strong muscle around the joints, and increases flexibility and endurance. It reduces inflammation from arthritis and related conditions and lowers the risk of other chronic conditions. It also helps promote overall health and fitness by giving you more energy, helping you sleep better, controlling your weight, decreasing depression, and giving you more self-esteem. Furthermore, exercise can help stave off other health problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease. But sometimes it’s not so easy to get started. When you‘re achy and sore, the last thing you want to do is exercise. Arthritis.org shares some tips on getting started, how to move and how much to move, as well as some examples of movement tools. Check out their advice HERE.