The health issues that can benefit most from exercise are often the same that prevent us from lacing up our sneakers. Psoriasis, an autoimmune condition that causes uncomfortable, itchy plaques on your skin, is one such illness, as is psoriatic arthritis, which affects your joints.
But staying active is important when you have a form of psoriasis, in part because exercise is so effective at helping manage stress and maintaining a healthy weight — two factors that are connected to disease severity and progression.
Staying active is an important way to improve your overall physical and mental health when you have psoriasis.
In people with psoriasis, obesity is connected to more severe illness and a lowered response to some biologic medications, one research review found. The authors suggest that weight loss via diet and exercise may improve psoriasis symptoms, but additional research is needed to develop specific treatment guidelines.
An earlier study conducted by Abrar A. Qureshi, MD, MPH, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and his colleagues investigated whether people with psoriatic arthritis were gaining weight because of inactivity due to the condition, or if the weight gain came before symptoms started.
“We found that being overweight typically came first,” says Dr. Qureshi. “The degree of psoriasis is often related to your body mass index.”
Finding an exercise routine that accommodates your psoriasis can help you stay active and healthy.
However, not all exercise is equal if you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, with or without psoriasis. To achieve weight loss and to maximize your defense against psoriasis flare-ups, taking a stroll is not going to be enough, Qureshi says. Higher-intensity aerobics — including sports like tennis, basketball, swimming, bicycling, and running (at a minimum of 5 miles per hour) — are what have been proven to be most effective, he says. If you have joint involvement, however, stick to low-impact cardio.
Additionally, psoriasis is associated with a host of other health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, liver disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Aerobic exercise and weight loss can help lower your risk of developing many of these health problems and improve overall health, Qureshi says.
Furthermore, one small study that tracked people with psoriasis who took part in 60-minute nature walks twice weekly for 10 weeks saw significant reductions in disease severity, the amount of skin covered by lesions, and blood pressure. Participants’ quality of life scores improved significantly, and so did their mental health.
Plus, about one-third of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Low-impact activities like strength training, biking, and swimming can help keep your joints flexible and your muscles strong. While taking up a sport may seem difficult, you will be rewarded for your efforts, Qureshi says.
“If someone has severe psoriasis that gets in the way of exercising, they need to see a dermatologist and get as close to clearing their skin as possible,” Qureshi notes. “Psoriasis should not be an impediment.”
Even when your psoriasis is well-controlled, there are challenges when it comes to playing sports.
Intense workouts can be hard for people with psoriasis, as sweat can aggravate itchy plaques.
There’s also inverse or flexural psoriasis, in which plaques are located inside skin folds, where sweat can be trapped and cause irritation.
For those who have psoriatic arthritis, symptoms like joint pain and stiffness can affect your ability to play sports.
Try these strategies to help you get out onto the playing field without aggravating psoriasis symptoms:
1. Use a Barrier Cream
Qureshi recommends using something like zinc oxide to keep moisture out of areas where plaques can form and affect your comfort during games. This includes your feet, your groin, and other areas, such as your hands. If your sport requires you to wear gloves — whether it’s baseball, hockey, or squash — a barrier cream can also help prevent some of the friction that aggravates psoriasis.
2. Layer Up
In areas where clothing or protective gear can chafe skin, you should wear an under layer to reduce friction, suggests Qureshi. For example, wear a pair of socks underneath your shin guards to minimize contact and chafing. And stick with loose layers, as the friction from tight clothing can cause bleeding or new psoriasis plaques.
3. Evaluate Your Equipment
Sports equipment is another consideration for people with psoriasis. Helmets and shin guards that don’t fit properly or any hard protective gear that can rub or chafe the skin can lead to irritation, and even the formation of new plaques where the skin is damaged. So make sure your athletic gear is adjusted to fit well.
4. Avoid Injury
If you have psoriasis, you should be careful to avoid any type of skin trauma, as that can cause new plaques to form on the site. This is known as the Koebner phenomenon.
5. Stay on Top of Your Psoriasis Treatment Regimen
Most important, says Qureshi, is working with your dermatologist to treat your plaques, manage your symptoms, and minimize skin sensitivity. Before you shoot a goal or swim a lap, it’s helpful to first get your psoriasis under control. Following your treatment plan can help prepare and protect your skin for the field of play.
“There are so many available therapies now, and we can treat the psoriasis so you can start living an active life,” Qureshi says.
Psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition that causes painful, visible plaques, can make it hard to exercise. But research backs its role in reducing stress and maintaining a healthy weight, which can also reduce illness severity and frequency of flare-ups.
The condition also commonly occurs alongside other illnesses that exercise can help prevent or improve symptoms of, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
It can be hard to exercise with psoriasis, but fine-tuning your treatment regimen to make sure symptoms are well-controlled can help you successfully maintain a more active lifestyle.
Taking steps to protect your skin before engaging in sports can help make sports a sustainable, enjoyable activity.
