A new study has found that exercising for just 45 minutes a week can be beneficial for older adults with arthritis.

To reach their findings, researchers analyzed 1,629 adults aged 49 and older, all of which had pain, aching, or stiffness in joints of the hips, knees, or feet.

Participants reported how they felt at the start of the experiment and again after two years and physical activity was also measured using movement-monitoring accelerometers.

After 2 years, the physical functioning of around a third of participants had either improved or remained high.

The team found that older adults who engaged in just 45 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, per week were 80 percent more likely to maintain or improve their physical functioning than those who exercised for under 45 minutes weekly.