Exercise Reduces Psoriatic Arthritis Risk in Psoriasis Patients
New research suggests daily steps and moderate activity may lower the risk of psoriatic arthritis in people with psoriasis
A large UK Biobank study presented at GRAPPA 2025 found that people with psoriasis who engaged in regular physical activity had a significantly reduced risk of developing psoriatic arthritis, with higher step counts showing dose-dependent protection.
Study Details
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a painful inflammatory condition that affects about one-third of people with psoriasis. While obesity and genetics are known risk factors, the role of physical activity in prevention has been unclear.
At the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) in Bogotá, Dr. Dylan McGagh from Oxford University presented new data showing that exercise may be protective against PsA development.
The study used the UK Biobank Accelerometry Cohort, which followed over 100,000 individuals aged 40–65. From this group, 2531 participants with psoriasis but no arthritis were analyzed. Their physical activity was tracked via wearable accelerometers for about one week, with outcomes followed over eight years.
Methodology
Cohort: 2531 people with psoriasis, mean age 63 years, 52% women
Tracking: Accelerometer devices worn for a median of 7 days
Follow-up: Up to 8 years with health record linkage
Exposures analyzed: Daily step counts, peak walking cadence, sedentary vs active time
Key Findings
Walking over 10,452 steps/day (~4 miles) was linked to a 58% lower risk of developing PsA.
Risk reduction followed a dose-dependent pattern: every additional 1000 steps/day reduced PsA risk by 10%.
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity also correlated with lower risk.
Even small increases in daily movement were beneficial.
Researchers emphasized that this was the first study to position exercise as a primary factor in preventing PsA among people with psoriasis. However, they noted limitations: the cohort was entirely White and older than the typical psoriasis population at PsA risk
Implications for Practice
For patients with psoriasis, this study provides reassurance that physical activity is not harmful to the joints and may, in fact, protect against arthritis. Even modest increases in steps per day could reduce risk.
For healthcare providers, the findings support encouraging psoriasis patients to adopt regular physical activity as part of lifestyle management. While replication in more diverse cohorts is needed, the data align with broader evidence linking exercise to improved cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health outcomes.