I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 35 years and for 35 years, on my doctor's advice, have been exercising in the pool.

I was told water exercise was the best way to keep my joints limber and my muscles toned. The wonderful thing about swimming, water walking or water aerobics is that they do not stress our joints and provide a wonderful workout to our heart and other muscles. I follow the "two-hour pain rule." If joints hurt within two hours of my workout I have overdone it. (If, on the other hand, my muscles hurt, either within the two hours or later, then I've had a good workout!)

I used to swim at a small pool and would lose track of my laps because I'd be so zoned out in just enjoying moving through the water. I felt like a mermaid! It was one place I could really move freely!

Now I do water aerobics. I have moved up from Arthritis Water Aerobics, through regular Water Aerobics to the more advanced classes. As I progressed I was able to move my body in ways I never thought possible, and also in ways I cannot do on land. In the water I can jog, cross country ski, jump up and down, do jumping jacks and frog jumps, all under the water, and without getting my hair wet!

In water exercise I use the resistance of the water to strengthen the muscles that support my joints. My joints are lubricated, not by the pool, but by the motion of my body in the water. Body fluids feed the tendons and ligaments when the joint is moved. Joints need movement to remain flexible. "Motion is Lotion" (an Arthritis Foundation motto) .

Currently I am teaching an Arthritis Foundation Water Aerobics Class. With taking a regular water aerobics class and teaching arthritis water aerobics I think I'm proving arthritis and exercise do mix and that water is not the only place to exercise.

Another option is walking. It is a great exercise and relatively stress free. Please join me in walking the Triangle Arthritis Walk this Saturday. Visit the www.letsmovetogether.org to register and either join a team or form one. If you have arthritis please give serious thought to getting into a pool and moving your body.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., followed by the walk at 10 a.m., at the Imperial Center Winchester Building, 4309 Emperor Blvd. For registration go to http://trianglearthritiswalk.kintera.org or contact Grace Danuck at gdanuck@gmail.com or at 303-8080.