Being diagnosed with arthritis doesn’t have to mean a complete full-stop on your life and your activities. We do understand that the pain and mobility issues that come with arthritis can take a toll on a person’s body and on their minds, but being diagnosed with arthritis does not have to come with a default imprisonment sentence.
There are many things you can do as an arthritic patient to take control of your body and your pain in order to live your day-to-day life with the greatest possible ease and comfort.
Many of the strategies you apply towards making your body more mobile can also help with creating more positive markers for any other lifestyle diseases you may have.
5 ways you can prevent your arthritis pain
- Relearn Mobility in Arthritis Pain
Since arthritis can affect your quality of life and reduce your mobility to a significant extent, you may find yourself having to relearn how to manage your body and movement.
In the Indian scenario, where finding workshops for self-management can be a little difficult, it’s best to approach a GP or a physiotherapist for the best way forward.
Once you learn the tools for managing yourself better, you’ll begin to see a marked improvement in your mood, your stress levels, your ability to move around on your own, and even the pain in your body. - Manage Weight in Arthritis Pain
If you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis and you’re above a healthy body weight, take the time to learn how you can decrease your weight, in a safe and healthy manner.
Any extra weight on your body will add pressure to the weight-bearing joints such as your hips and your knees. While this is true for all people, it’s especially important for people with arthritis to be careful of any weight gain, since the extra pressure on joints can lead to more pain and decreased mobility.
Speak to your doctor about the best way forward for you to lose any extra weight you may have. - Avoid Injury, specially a Fall and Protect Your Joints in Arthritis Pain
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis, you must take care to protect your joints and avoid injury or a fall as much as possible. A “gait assessment” by your GP or Physiotherapist is a good idea to determine whether you need a walking aid, like a cane.
“When a person has arthritis, any injury can make their condition worse” says Dr. Rachna Kucheria. “It’s important that people choose movement that is easy on their joints, such as cycling, swimming, or walking. It is also important to get correct supervision before starting any new form of activity”
The goal here is to keep your mobility going instead of allowing your body to freeze – avoiding injury and protecting your joints is a significant part of that equation. - Exercise, Exercise & only Exercise in Arthritis Pain
And then exercise some more.
Exercising is a proven way of controlling the inflammation in your body. Exercising can also help you sleep better, maintain your weight, keep your mood buoyant, and have spillover positive effects to help improve or prevent other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes or coronary heart disease.
You don’t become an exercise junkie, but keep your body moving as much as possible. Frequent, light exercise is one of the best ways of managing your arthritis and keeping your pain at bay. - Stay Connected with Your Doctor
If you suspect arthritis setting in because of frequent pain and an inability to move, reach out to your doctor. If diagnosed early enough, your doctor will be able to help you develop an effective treatment plan that will help you manage your pain and mobility.
Your doctor can help you minimise any joint damage and provide you with the tools you need to live with a good quality of life. Following the treatment plan laid out for you will be important, especially if you have other chronic diseases that you deal with.
As we mentioned above, being diagnosed with arthritis does not have to mean an imprisonment in your life. While things can feel difficult and painful for a while, they can be managed with a little bit of relearning and careful execution of management strategies.
“Honestly, if you could ensure a good quality of life for yourself, why wouldn’t you?” asks Dr. Kucheria. “While arthritis can make life difficult, especially if compared to how you’ve done things before your diagnosis, it’s important to give yourself time and energy as you relearn how to manage yourself.”
It might feel difficult, and at times even frustrating, but taking back control of your body through consistent efforts is possible.
To get the right help for any issues with arthritis, visit www.docgenie.in.