By John C. Kagan, M.D. –
Anyone with osteoarthritis or who has a loved one with the disease knows that it can get progressively more painful and disabling over time. Eventually, the smooth cartilage covering joints in the shoulders, knees, hips, wrist or fingers may begin to wear away and no longer serve as a cushion for the bones.
While surgery to replace the joint may ultimately be the best solution, there are many steps you can take before then to reduce the pain and stiffness, improve range of motion and improve your quality of life.
Here are tips from various medical experts, including the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Arthritis Foundation and Harvard Medical School, to help make living with arthritis more manageable day to day.
1) Apply a heat pack or cold pack to the painful joint before and after performing activities.
2) Use a pillow to elevate the painful joint and provide support while you sleep.
3) Don’t lift heavy items. Use a cart with wheels to move laundry, garbage cans, grocery bags and other items.
4) Use adaptive aids such as long-handled shoehorns and sock grippers to avoid unnecessary bending, stooping or reaching that might put too much strain on joints.
5) Modify your home with these simple ideas:
. Install a raised toilet seat and grab bars in the bathroom. Similarly, sit in a chair with arms to help you stand up.
. Remove throw rugs to prevent tripping.
. Replace doorknobs and faucets in your house with lever-style handles that are easier to turn.
6) Follow good body mechanics, such as:
. Take frequent breaks and pace yourself when doing activities that strain the joint.
. Avoid staying in one position for too long, which could put stress on joints. For example, get up and stretch every so often while reading, watching television or working at the computer.
. In the kitchen, use a rolling office chair to help you do chores like cooking or washing the dishes.
. Use the handrail when climbing stairs. Lead with your unaffected leg while going up and your affected leg while going down stairs.
7) Maintain a healthy weight and control blood sugar. Extra weight puts added stress on weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and hips. In addition, new studies show that high blood sugar levels, which increase the risk for diabetes, may trigger inflammation, which can damage cartilage.
8) Stay physical. It’s the best non-drug treatment for improving pain and function.” Exercise stretches the joints and keeps them more flexible, while also strengthening the muscles surrounding the joint. You don’t have to join a gym; just take a walk.
9) Play it safe if you play sports. Wear protective gear soccer, hockey, rollerblading, baseball and similar sports that can strain joints. Injured joints are nearly seven times more likely to develop arthritis.
Dr. John Kagan is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who has been treating patients in Southwest Florida for more than 30 years. For more information about joint pain or other orthopedic-related conditions, go to www.kaganortho.com. To schedule a consultation call 239-936-6778.