Question

A nurse is providing teaching about exercise to a client who has osteoarthritis. Which of the following information should the nurse include?

A) Avoid exercise to prevent worsening joint pain.
B) Engage in high-impact activities to improve joint flexibility.
C) Use cold packs on joints before exercise to reduce inflammation.
D) Perform low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming.

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the client with osteoarthritis to perform low-impact exercises like walking and swimming, which strengthen muscles around the joints, maintain joint mobility, and reduce stress on joints.

Step-by-step explanation:

When teaching a client with osteoarthritis about exercise, it's important to include that high-impact activities should be avoided as they can exacerbate joint pain and damage. Instead, one should engage in low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or biking. These activities help to maintain joint mobility and increase muscle strength, which can keep the bones in joints correctly aligned and reduce joint stress. Using cold packs before exercise can help reduce inflammation, but it is not as crucial as the type of exercise chosen.

Thus, the most accurate information to include is that the client should perform low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming (Option D), as these are recommended due to the relatively little stress they place on the joints. This helps to keep the muscles around the joints strong and flexible, which can help stabilize and protect the joints.