A Working Checklist for Exercise with a Long-Term Condition
Exercise with a Long-Term Condition: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
Physical activity adapted to a condition rather than avoided because of it. Activity is recommended in almost every long-term condition, and is often under-prescribed compared with medicines.
Key takeaways
- General target: 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle strengthening on 2 days
- If you cannot meet it: be as active as your condition allows; some activity is better than none
- Most useful single change: Ask whether a supervised program exists for your condition.
- Commonest mistake: Avoiding activity because of the diagnosis.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Do
- Ask whether a supervised program exists for your condition
- Start below what feels possible and build slowly
- Adapt the activity rather than abandoning it
- Ask about evidence-based programs for arthritis, such as walking or exercise classes
Do not
- Avoiding activity because of the diagnosis
- Starting at your pre-illness level
- Exercising through warning symptoms
The numbers behind the list
The list is built from the numbers below, which come from the bodies cited at the end.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| General target | 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle strengthening on 2 days |
| If you cannot meet it | be as active as your condition allows; some activity is better than none |
| Recommended in | heart disease, COPD, diabetes, arthritis, depression and cancer recovery |
| Supervised programs | cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation |
| Starting point | below current capacity, building gradually |
If you change one thing
Ask whether a supervised program exists for your condition. If you only change one thing, make it that.
Related topics
- The Evidence on Exercise with Persistent Pain, Without the Hype (Chronic Pain)
- The Evidence on Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Without the Hype (Rehabilitation)
- Exercise Recovery: What the Evidence Actually Says (Fitness)
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: What the Evidence Actually Says (Heart Health)
Where to go next
- Answers to the Common Questions on Exercise with a Long-Term Condition
- Exercise with a Long-Term Condition in Five Minutes
- Exercise with a Long-Term Condition — the reference entry
- Long-Term Conditions: The Complete Guide
- What the Guidance Really Says About Planning for Deterioration
- What the Guidance Really Says About Living with Multiple Conditions
When to speak to a doctor
Talk to your doctor before starting if you have unstable angina, uncontrolled blood pressure, a recent heart event, or symptoms that have not yet been diagnosed. Stop and call 911 for chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, severe breathlessness, or fainting during exercise.
Where this comes from
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion — Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition
- CDC — Physical Activity for Arthritis
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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