How much does exercise help? And what's the best kind? Leigh F. Callahan, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, set out to test the Arthritis Foundation's exercise program.

Bottom line: It really works.

Dr. Callahan led a study of an eight-week exercise program developed by the Arthritis Foundation (AF). Participants took part in classes twice a week, for one hour each, which primarily focused on strength and flexibility exercises, with some aerobic exercise. Result: Symptoms such as pain decreased by 23 percent, fatigue decreased by 28 percent and stiffness by 19 percent in participants.

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