With my arthritis as bad as it is, it wouldn't be a bad idea to walk a little before meding up, and then afterward. There is a great difference between the two. Without, I can't walk a hundred feet without serious pain, with meds no problem. But hills, no way. Bone on bone has no mercy when you have to push off on an arthritic knee. I have to climb stairs one at a time because of bone on bone.