Will Rest Ease Osteoarthritis Pain?

Question: Will Rest Ease Osteoarthritis Pain?

One of the primary symptoms of osteoarthritis is pain that worsens during activity and improves with rest. We hear a lot about the importance of physical activity to build strength, endurance, and improve range of motion. But what about rest?

When should you rest? How long should you rest? Is it ever a bad thing to rest when you have osteoarthritis?

Answer: Resting an affected joint can relieve pain. But there's a balance that you must be aware of. Rest is beneficial for short periods of time. After a short period of rest, you should gradually resume activities.

Knowing When to Rest With Osteoarthritis

You should rest when your osteoarthritis symptoms have worsened. If pain in an affected joint seems worse, or perhaps swelling and stiffness is more bothersome, you should rest. It's important that you pay attention to your symptoms. Think of pain as a "messenger" from your arthritis.

If you ignore your symptoms and miss the cue that it's time to rest, you risk overdoing it. This can lead to joint damage.

Knowing How Long to Rest With Osteoarthritis

For acute pain and signs of inflammation, doctors typically recommend 12 to 24 hours of rest. Rest can be achieved by splinting or bracing the affected joint, or by simply resting in bed.

Prolonged rest, however, can work against you and should be avoided. Any of the above options can lead to significant muscle loss (atrophy). Just a few weeks of immobilization can result in more than 20% reduction in muscle mass.

Can Rest Ever Be a Bad Thing?

Just as overdoing activity can increase pain and cause your symptoms to worsen, overdoing rest can have a similar negative effect. If you combine rest with other adjunctive treatments or therapies, such as cold or heat application or pain medication, you may increase effectiveness and require less time resting.

_Sources:

_{Nonpharmacologic Therapy of Osteoarthritis. Rest. UpToDate. June 2, 2009.
http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~jO5jZxAz/vxX/6&selectedTitle=14~150&source=search_result}

_{Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. Arthritis Foundation. Thirteenth Edition.}