Which types of exercise should gout patients avoid? (Avoid intense, high-impact activities to prevent joint injury)

Ah, you've hit on a crucial point. Anyone who's had gout knows that exercise is good, but the wrong kind of movement can cause a lot of pain. The key is one sentence: Don't be hard on your joints.

Think about it: your joints might already have those "little landmines" of uric acid crystals. If you then engage in high-impact exercises, with all that jolting and jarring, aren't you actively stepping on those landmines? It can easily trigger an acute attack, and anyone who's experienced that knows how bad it feels.

So, it's best to avoid the following types of exercise:

Intense running, especially long-distance running: Running on hard surfaces means your knees, ankles, and toes – joints prone to gout – bear impact forces several times your body weight. Each landing is a test, and the risk is too high.
High-impact, competitive ball sports: Sports like basketball, soccer, or badminton require sudden stops, quick turns, and jumps, putting immense stress on your joints. Plus, you're more prone to collisions and injuries, making it not worth the risk.
High-intensity strength training: It's not that you can't do strength training, but heavy squats and deadlifts, for example, put immense pressure on the joints. Moreover, short bursts of anaerobic exercise produce lactic acid, which might affect uric acid excretion and temporarily increase the risk of a gout attack.
Jumping and explosive exercises: Such as jump rope, burpees, and jumping jacks in HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). These movements are high impact and very unfriendly to joints.

So, does that mean you can only lie down? Of course not!

Exercise is beneficial for lowering uric acid and losing weight; the key is to "exercise smartly." Here are some joint-friendly "gentle exercises" we recommend:

Swimming, water walking: This is definitely the top choice! The buoyancy of water minimizes stress on the joints while providing a full-body workout. It's practically tailor-made for us.
Cycling: Whether on a spin bike or outdoor cycling, both involve sitting, so the joints aren't weight-bearing, and they're good for cardiovascular health.
Brisk walking or slow walking: The simplest and most effective aerobic exercise. Wear well-cushioned shoes and persist for at least half an hour daily. It's low impact on the body, but offers many benefits.
Yoga, Tai Chi: These slow-paced exercises can increase joint flexibility and body balance, and are very safe.

Finally, a few crucial reminders:

During an acute attack, absolutely no exercise! At this time, the joint is inflamed; the priority is rest, ice, and medication to let it calm down.
Drink plenty of water during and after exercise! Drink plain water or soda water, not sugary drinks. Excessive sweating concentrates the blood, and a high uric acid concentration can easily trigger problems.
If you feel any discomfort in your joints, stop immediately. Don't push through the pain. Your body's signals are the most accurate.

In summary, our goal is to "exercise consistently, but never take risks." Choose the right methods, get moving, and it will definitely be more beneficial than harmful for gout control.