Adults with arthritis should do their best to follow the recommendations of the Physical Activity Guidelines (PAGs) for Americans.  This includes getting 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise over the course of a week, with each activity session lasting at least 10 minutes.  They can also be achieved by getting 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity. Or, individuals may wish to get a combination of the two (typically, two minutes of moderate activity are considered equivalent to one minute of vigorous activity).

The PAGs also offer a prescription to attain even greater levels of health through physical activity.  To achieve additional benefits, they recommend getting 300 minutes of moderate activity or 150 minutes of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination of the two.

Along with these general recommendations, the PAGs also recommend doing muscle strengthening exercises at least two days per week.  The American College of Rheumatology recommends that muscle strengthening workouts for people with arthritis include one set of eight to 10 exercises that target the major muscle groups.  They recommend doing eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, though they say older individuals may be better off using less resistance and doing 10 to 15 repetitions.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) offers similar recommendations to those of the PAGs and the American College of Rheumatology.  They recommend doing cardiovascular activities for 30-60 minutes five days per week, and muscle strengthening exercises twice a week, performing one set during each workout.

It is recommended that individuals with arthritis participate in flexibility exercises, as they help maintain and improve range of motion in joints.  The American College of Rheumatology recommends doing range-of-motion exercises five to 10 times per day, and stretching exercises at least three days per week, with stretches being held for approximately 30 seconds.  ACSM recommends doing five to 10 repetitions of range-of-motion exercises for each affected joint at least once per day, if not a few times throughout the day.

Finally, the PAGs recommend that individuals with arthritis, especially those who have fallen or are at a risk of falling, do balance exercises at least three days per week.