Osteoarthritis
Last week, whilst researching exercises for osteoarthritis
of the knee, I stumbled across the Arthritis Research UK website. For those of
you who are interested, it is a great tool, with lots of sensible information
and advice on many arthritic conditions.
The key message that I took from the website with regard to
osteoarthritis, was that when patients are diagnosed with osteoarthritis, they
often panic, they stop exercising or doing the things they enjoy, through fear
of making the condition worse. This is understandable, but it is really
important to remember that although there isn’t currently a cure, it doesn’t
necessarily get worse over time, and most importantly, there is a lot that you
can do to help yourself, such as:
·
Maintaining a healthy weight, to decrease strain on the joints.
·
Cardiovascular
and muscle strengthening exercises, to help with weight loss/maintenance,
improve cardiovascular fitness and to keep the muscles that surround the joints
strong. If you are someone that doesn’t enjoy exercise, perhaps you can build
it in to your day, by walking to and from work, walking in and getting the bus
home, or simply getting off the bus a few stops early.
If exercise seems to
worsen your symptoms, try something that is low impact, such as swimming or
water-based aerobics. The following link will take you to a handy little set of
muscle strengthening exercises for patients experiencing knee pain (exercises
for other joints are also available on their website). I thought these were
great, as they are easy to do and you could even incorporate them into your
day, perhaps whilst sat at your desk, or whilst watching the TV at night: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/exercises-to-manage-pain/knee-pain-exercises.aspx.
·
Seeking help, be that through your GP or
Consultant if you have one, or through supportive
interventions, such as the manual therapy offered by osteopaths. Although
we cannot reverse the damage to your joints, we can work with you to maintain or
increase joint and muscle flexibility, as well as support any other areas of
your body that might be suffering as a result.
If you suffer with any kind of arthritis, you may find the
website really useful, here is the link: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org.
Jane.
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