For Angela Brown, visiting her 14 grandchildren has become a logistical exercise before she has even left home. Flying means managing a suitcase, a CPAP machine, medication, a four-wheel walker and a walking stick, while driving for more than three hours is difficult and fatigue takes its toll when she arrives.

“But the most heart wrenching part for me is that I hardly get to visit with my 14 grandkids anymore,” she says.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and chronic pain has changed how Angela gets around, manages her home and spends time with family. Technology helps her keep up with her grandchildren, but travelling to see them is something she can no longer take for granted.

An unfamiliar destination means checking where she can park, whether there are stairs and whether her walker will fit. Cleaning and gardening require help, while getting down onto the floor presents the problem of getting back up.

Angela, who lives in Canberra and describes herself as a proud Ngiyampaa/Wailwan/Ngemba woman, has also experienced falls, fractures and a major stroke last year. When asked what helped her regain confidence in moving, she makes a distinction.

“I never lost confidence, but I lost ability, especially after a major stroke last year,” she says.

“Coming back from lots of breaks is challenging, so you find ways to adapt what you need to do.”

She has been attending gym sessions for strengthening exercises and tries to keep moderate activity in her day. A supportive friend helps her get places when needed, while morning tea or lunch with friends gives her another reason to get out.

Her creative activities have changed too. Holding small paintbrushes has become difficult, so she paints less than she would like. Weaving, which she learnt through a women’s group at Yerrabi Yurwang Cultural Centre, is easier on her hands than knitting or crochet.

Angela’s experience highlights the need for movement that can adapt to different abilities, something Musculoskeletal Health Australia’s World’s Biggest Sit In will put into practice on 12 October with a 30-minute chair-based exercise class. Event ambassador, physiotherapist and AFLW player Libby Birch says adapting activity can help people keep moving when their usual walk, workout or exercise class becomes difficult.

“If your usual exercise has become painful or difficult, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stop moving altogether,” Birch says. “You just need to adapt what you’re doing to suit how your body is feeling.”

That could mean shortening a walk, reducing intensity, taking more breaks or trying seated movement that places less demand on the joints. Paying attention to how you feel during and after activity can help guide the next step.

If pain is new or worsening, or you are unsure what is safe, Birch recommends a physiotherapist or accredited exercise physiologist who can develop a program around your condition, abilities and goals.

Chair-based exercise offers one starting point. Birch suggests seated marches, sitting tall in a sturdy chair and gently lifting one foot and then the other. The movement engages the hip and thigh muscles and can be made easier by lifting the feet only a small distance or slowing down.

Another option is leg straightens slowly straighten one leg from a seated position, lower it and repeat on the other side. This engages the muscles at the front of the thigh, which help with standing and walking. A smaller, comfortable range of movement can make it more manageable.

Gentle shoulder rolls backwards and forwards can also keep the upper body moving, particularly after sitting for a while. Birch advises keeping the circles small if larger movements are uncomfortable.

Seated exercise can contribute to strength and body control, although it has limits.

“However, seated exercise doesn’t challenge standing balance in quite the same way as being on your feet,” Birch says.

Where safe and appropriate, a program may also include supported standing, balance and weight-bearing activities, with individual guidance particularly useful for someone at risk of falling.

After a long period of inactivity, Birch says a few minutes of gentle movement can be a worthwhile beginning.

“Choose something that feels manageable, whether that’s a short walk, a few chair-based exercises or some gentle mobility work and focus on doing it consistently rather than trying to make up for lost time.”

From there, increase duration, frequency or intensity gradually, rather than changing everything at once. Sharp or severe pain, increasing swelling or symptoms that persist or worsen after exercise are reasons to stop and seek advice.

For Angela, support from others who understand arthritis also helps with the fatigue and challenges that people around her may not see.

“Being able to tap into others’ experiences, thoughts and tips is an amazing way to be supported,” she says.

Her advice to someone missing their old activities is to begin with what they can manage and ask for help finding suitable options.

“Don’t sit at home thinking life is over. It isn’t, you just need to find new ways for you to do things.”

Musculoskeletal Health Australia’s World’s Biggest Sit In will offer a chance to try a 30-minute chair-based exercise class on Monday, 12 October. Held at Broadbeach Cultural Centre Auditorium on the Gold Coast and livestreamed via Zoom, it runs from 9.30–10am AEST, or 10.30–11am in NSW, the ACT and Victoria.

The event raises awareness and funds for MHA’s free information and support services. To register or find out more, visit www.wbsi.org.au.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.