Gear Up For Safety

Work out with protection.

Exercise does a body good, but it comes with more risks as days grow shorter and dark comes earlier. “You should take caution, especially when you go for walks or bike rides outside,” says Brian Housle, an exercise physiologist and wellness manager at Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina. With arthritis, you may not be able to react as quickly to potential dangers, such as cars or predators. Protect yourself with safety gear, like these.

1 Open-ear headphones

Music gets you going, but headphones block out important background noise – like a car horn or shout from an oncoming biker. The solution: The small speakers of the AfterShokz Titanium wireless headphones ($80; aftershokz.com) send sound waves through your cheek bones where they rest, leaving your ears uncovered.