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Aless active lifestyle will mean a future filled with aches and pains for many Canadians.

A recent national survey shows less active adults are limiting their health by giving in to joint pain.

The research was conducted for a task force of the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (ALCOA), CARP (Canada's Association for the 50 ), and Patient Partners in Arthritis. It says adults in this country cite pain and physical limitations as well as a lack of time and money as the three main obstacles to a healthy, active lifestyle.

"Information on available community-based facilities and programs at little or no cost needs to be more accessible," says Anne Lyddiatt, arthritis advocate and member of Patient Partners in Arthritis.

Most adults know being active is important to being healthy but many admit they don't do what they know they should. It may be due to the fact that 10 million of us live with chronic or recurring pain. And many people believe aches and pains, commonly associated with osteoarthritis, are a natural part of aging. Those who suffer from it are even less likely to be active.

"We are disappointed to see people expect activity to decrease as they age, so now we need to help them understand that aches and pains are not a natural part of aging, and how to get and stay active, how to overcome their barriers and be healthy as they age," says Philippe Markon, past-chair of ALCOA.

Medical experts confirm that one of the ways to avoid pain, or to manage it, is through regular exercise.

Dr. Jamie Henderson is a Fredericton rheumatologist. Regular physical activity is an essential element in the successful management of osteoarthritis, he says. Two of the biggest determinants of osteoarthritis are age and body weight.

Dr. Henderson says when he sees inactive, overweight adults and children, and those who've experienced injuries, he can see their future and it likely involves joint pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Dealing effectively with the pain associated with osteoarthritis or chronic, debilitating pain of any kind, he says, takes the involvement of many people including the patient, and a team of healthcare professionals. The best way to treat pain, he says, is holistically.

"It's not just the physician. I rely heavily on physiotherapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists and psychologists.

"Dealing with pain is a matter of finding the right resources. You go as deep as you need to go to address a specific person's problem."

Pain that interferes with your sleep and daily activities which lasts for weeks isn't normal and needs to be treated, he says. Every person is unique and so is their pain. So pain sufferers cannot be treated with a cookie-cutter approach, he explains. While pain medications may work for some, non-medicinal treatments may be the answer for others.