There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and the most common type, osteoarthritis, is the most likely one to affect us as we age. Osteoarthritis is known as the “wear-and-tear” arthritis where the cartilage or tissue that surrounds our joints wears away or thins.
If you have osteoarthritis, you will experience common symptoms such as pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints. Hands, knees, elbows, ankles and spine can be affected and your mobility might start to be limited in the worst affected joints.
However, an important factor in managing your condition is maintaining mobility and flexibility. A diagnosis of osteoarthritis does not automatically mean you will be crippled by the condition and often the symptoms are so mild that they have no real effect on your day-to-day life. But how you deal with your condition may actually improve your overall health and feeling of wellbeing.
Some people immediately stop using a particular joint once they start to feel pain in it. This is a mistake because not only will the lack of use accelerate the effects of arthritis but you are then likely to put increased pressure on other joints to do the work of the one you’re “resting”. For example, if you have arthritis in one knee, you might favour the other knee and put more of your weight on it.
Although there is no cure for arthritis, effective pain management will allow you to lead a perfectly normal life. Daily exercise is essential – ask your GP for advice on an exercise plan and, if necessary, ask for a referral to a physiotherapist. You want to do gentle exercises that strengthen muscle tone, aerobic activity for heart health and motion exercises that increase flexibility in the joints.
Enjoy a healthy diet and include nutritional supplements such as omega 3 and invest in a good firm mattress so you sleep comfortably and well. If you do experience specific joint pain, a chiropractic adjustment can improve joint flexibility and movement.
With effective management and therapy, arthritis need not be a life-limiting condition.
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