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You know you should lift weights to make your muscles stronger and reduce your fatigue. But if you’re like most Americans, you just don’t do it. And if you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you may be worried that strength training might be bad for your joints, or even make pain worse.
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Strength Training: It s All Natural
Experts say that if you have RA, strength training is something you should fully embrace, not back away from. “Exercise is a great anti-inflammatory,” says Gustavo Carbone, MD, a rheumatologist at the University of Miami Health System on Coral Gables, Florida. People with RA constantly ask me about natural things they can take, he says. “Exercise, including strength training, is the best natural thing there is.”