Last week I read an article in the Washington Post that described how some patients, frustrated with their arthritic condition, seem to give into the disease and let it take hold of their life. Arthritis is a difficult condition to treat since there’s simply no way to turn back the clock and regrow lost cartilage, but with that said, we shouldn’t just give in to arthritis, because that’s only going to make things worse.
When it comes to managing your arthritis, you have to attack the condition head on. Simply taking a painkiller and sitting on your couch will do nothing to make the problem better, and it will contribute to the deconditioning of your joints, effectively advancing your arthritis. Instead, you need to pursue active treatments, because although your joints may never feel like you’re 21 again, it will keep the disease from getting worse, and that’s how you best manage arthritis.
Actively Managing Arthritis
Remaining active is key when it comes to combating arthritis. You may have to take it easier at times, and you may have to be smarter about the way you stay active, but you need to keep moving. If you need knee braces in order to help prevent pain when playing basketball or when going for a walk, invest in some quality braces so you can stay active. If it’s your back or spine that is bothering you, invest in some supportive shoe options to take some stress off your body so you can keep moving. If it’s the activity that’s bothering you, find some other ways to be active.
For example, many arthritis patients say that running is too difficult because it puts too much stress on their joints. If you’re finding this to be the case, look for activities that keep you moving that don’t put as much stress on your body. Swimming, for example, is a fantastic example of a low-impact exercise, and because water is naturally resistant, you only need to swim or walk around the inside of the pool to strengthen your joints and keep them healthy.
Other activities like cycling, yoga, tai chi and kayaking are all low-impact exercises that strengthen your joints and won’t overstress your body. These activities will help you strengthen the supportive muscles and soft tissues around your joints so that movements aren’t as painful.
If you need to take pain medication to manage your arthritis, that’s fine, but make sure they aren’t your only form of treatment. Don’t take painkillers just to lessen your pain, take them so that activities are more bearable and use them in combination with other active treatments. Paired correctly with other treatment strategies, opioids can play a crucial role in helping you best manage your arthritis.
If you have arthritis and want some individualized help getting your condition under control, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.