Arthritis causes pain, inflammation and stiffness of the joints. Combine these symptoms and you’ll be finding your mobility becoming limited. And not being able to move properly can have a serious effect on wellness and quality of life.
It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of the population suffer from arthritis, and the condition is more likely to develop the older you get. If you have the condition it can be difficult to manage, but there are plenty of ways that you can makes things easier for yourself.
How to use the stairs
For arthritic people, falling down the stairs can be a genuine worry. As arthritis tends to affect the elderly, a fall could also mean fracturing a hip or sustaining other injuries. Keeping your use of stairs to a minimum is a good idea. Customising the bottom stairs of your staircase to act as drawers can be a very useful way to limit the amount of times you have to climb the stairs.
Avoid rugs
Rugs can pose a major falling risk for people with arthritis. Even so-called non-slip rugs can be a problem unless they are secured to the floor. Consider removing the rugs from your home as they could cause you to fall and hurt yourself.
Use more shelves
Reaching up into high cabinets in the kitchen can cause discomfort and pain. While there are devices that can be used to make it possible to reach higher, they aren’t really practical for large or heavy items. It always makes more sense to bring things down to your level.
Try attaching shelves to hang from the bottom of the cabinets. Store the items you use the most on those shelves so you never have to exert yourself too much in the kitchen.
Other ways to make life easier
There are a number of ways that you make things easier for yourself. In the bathroom you can use rubber mats in front of the bath or shower to stop slipping over when you get out. You could also install door handles that are levers which are pushed down to open – arthritis can make it impossible to grip and turn door knobs.
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