Written by Martin Jansen, OT
Arthritis is not actually just one disease; it’s a simpler way to refer to any joint pain or disease that falls into one of the over 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. In general, though, arthritis is a condition that:
Living with arthritis is a major challenge for many people all over the world. Pain in hands and fingers can make it difficult to perform a variety of simple tasks like opening jars, brushing your teeth, chopping vegetables, carrying groceries, cleaning the house, holding a book, typing on a keyboard, or writing a note. While pain the hips, knees, and feet can make it challenging to get in and out of a shower, up and down from the toilet, move up and down stairs, or simply go for a walk.
Because of the full-body effect arthritis can have, managing your arthritis should be a multi-factor approach. In addition to talking with your doctor about medications and supplements available to improve your joint health, there is a range of techniques available to help you manage your condition.
Prolonged or repetitive pressures and activities wear down joints over time, so make sure to ask for help if you need it and use assistive tools to reduce pressure on the joints.
Many materials are available to build up existing tools to make them easier to hold. Ready-made kitchen tools with larger handles are also available to purchase, helping to make eating, cooking, and dining easier and more comfortable for bad pain days.
Arthritis can be a cumulative effect. Try to listen to your body and stop activities if they are starting to hurt. By taking a break, you can help your joints recover between activities and reduce your overall level of pain and inflammation.
Simple switches like carrying bags or groceries on your forearm instead of your hand will take stress off your fingers. When you carry trays or move pots or pans use your whole hand to support them instead of just using your fingers
Instead of picking up and carrying pots and pans from the sink to the stove consider sliding them on the counter. When cleaning, consider using a brush with a handle instead of a cloth that requires pressure from the fingers. Simple changes like this may seem like no big deal, but they add up to really help make a difference in your daily pain level.
If you’re having trouble with your hips and knees, it would be helpful to remove rugs and obstacles on the floor to prevent you from slipping, tripping, and falling. Higher seats, beds, and raised toilets make it easier to get up by reducing the strain on your hips and knees.
Although pain makes it difficult to move, immobility can lead to stiffness and even more pain in the long run. Gentle movement helps to loosen the body and reduce stiffness, as well as improving bodily health overall. This can lead to a general decrease in pain as well, making daily activities easier to engage in if you make movement a priority every day.
If standing is a problem, don’t be afraid to sit down while you perform daily tasks like preparing food or washing dishes. Sink cabinets can get in the way of getting close to a sink, but opening the cabinets is a great hack to create room for your knees.
Planning out tasks such as cooking and cleaning helps you to get everything you need together in one place before you start. This prevents you from having to make multiple unnecessary trips and steps and helps reduce unnecessary strain on your body.
Using gentle warmth can help ease the stiffness and pain of arthritis. There are a variety of products available to apply gentle heat to different parts of the body, including paraffin baths, heating packs, and even stick-on patches like Salonpas or Icy Hot, or you can simply take a warm bath or shower.
Many people with arthritis find that compression gloves and sleeves help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Whether your pain is in your wrists, your knees, or your ankles, there are compression garments designed for you.
Aquatic therapy is a great solution for a variety of chronic pain sufferers, those with arthritis being no exception. The low-gravity, low-impact environment helps reduce stress on the body while warmer temperatures help loosen up the body for gentle movement. If you have access to a pool, that would be ideal, but if not, simply try a bath or shower. If you have difficulty maneuvering safely in your bath or shower, you may want to try a shower chair or stool, or even a bathtub lift.
In addition to the variety of ways you might alleviate arthritis pain and stiffness, it’s important to take your safety into consideration. Help reduce your risk of falling by clearing your walkways, installing grab bars in places where you frequently need support like next to the toilet or shower, or adding non-slip surfaces to your entryways and other places that might become slippery like the kitchen and bathroom.
For more helpful tips on ways to manage arthritis pain or adapt your home for better safety and comfort, check out Caregiver University. And, when you're looking to compare or purchase any tools you might need to accomplish that goal, come visit Rehabmart.com for all your rehabilitative needs.
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Martin Jansen was born in the Netherlands. After graduating from the Occupational Therapy college in Amsterdam he has worked throughout his 31 year career in acute rehab hospitals, acute care hospitals as well as outpatient services with a wide variety of illnesses and disabilities. He continues to work full time as an Occupational Therapist. Martin is passionate about helping patients regain their independence as much and as quickly as possible. He has received additional training in the use of medical equipment and enjoys the opportunity to write about his experience and help others problem solve any difficulties they experience as a result of some form of physical limitation.
