Having a waltz around the room or enjoying a yoga class can work wonders for millions of people suffering from arthritis, say researchers.
A study found hospital-based exercise programs such as Pilates, yoga or dance fitness can relieve the pain of the disease.
American scientists studied at the effectiveness of exercise programmes run by the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
They found the weekly programmes significantly improved enjoyment of life and balance, and decreased pain and the severity and frequency of falls.

Our pets, like humans, slow down with age, and this is often accompanied by health problems similar to our own. Fortunately, possibly due to improved diets and preventative medicine, UK pets are now living much longer, which means we need to know how best to look after them in their golden years. Here are a few tips to help:

Walking is easy to do and offers many benefts.

What’s not to like about walking? It’s free. It’s easy to do, and it’s easy on the joints. And there’s no question that walking is good for you. Walking is an aerobic exercise; a University of Tennessee study found that women who walked had less body fat than those who didn’t walk. It also lowers the risk of blood clots, since the calf acts as a venous pump, contracting and pumping blood from the feet and legs back to the heart, reducing the load on the heart. Walking is good for you in other ways as well.

With the proper equipment and technique, there’s a dizzying list of benefits to Nordic walking and very little risk. It strengthens the upper body and core, decreases stress on the hips and knees, increases your heart rate and burns 20 per cent more calories.

Hiking with a disability or condition such as arthritis can be painful if precautions are not taken to prevent inflammation, joint stiffness and muscle cramps. Incorporate techniques and tips specifically designed for sufferers of arthritis into your next backcountry hiking expedition to ensure your day is pain free and comfortable.

Most older people will tell you that it’s no fun getting old. As our body ages and slows down it can often start to ache most of the time, with old injuries or broken bones presenting problems for the first time in years.

Arthritis can start at any age but it commonly begins or worsens with age, often presenting for the first time after the middle years.