Replacing Walking with Cardio

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Can I replace walking with the bike and/or elliptical at an equivalent intensity and still get the health benefits?

My toes hurt because of my RA and it is limiting my ability to walk. Currently getting 5 to 5.5k daily. My disease is in remission according to my labs and I am taking meds.

2

Yes, the mode of exercise matters little when it comes to health benefits. That said, I wouldn’t completely avoid walking either given that it is a significant part of living independently. If I had a patient with RA who was having pain as you describe, I would potentially consider additional treatments/interventions.

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3

What else is there to besides minimizing stress, optimizing sleep, and taking fish oil?

4
  1. Regular evaluation and care a rheumatologist
  2. Use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. NSAIDs and glucocorticoids as adjuncts)
  3. Patient education
  4. Psychosocial interventions such as CBT
  5. Exercise meeting or exceeding current guidelines, tailored to the individual
  6. Health-promoting dietary pattern for weight and body composition management
  7. Fish oil supplementation may not be that useful based on the current data
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