If you have arthritis, there are things that you can do to manage your condition, ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life. For example:

• Controlling your weight can help to ease pressure on joints.
• Avoiding stress or injury to your joints can help to prevent or reduce the severity of osteoarthritis.
• Good posture can strengthen healthy joint structure.
• Physiotherapy and use of a walking stick or cane can help prevent worsening of existing conditions.
• Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, will help to prevent osteoarthritis by increasing the strength of muscles that support your joints. It’s not true that avoiding exercise will help reduce joint problems in later life.

Your doctor can refer you to an occupational therapist who will be able to advise you on the equipment you may need to assist your independent living. If you need to adapt your home, a range of services and merchandise is available, so it’s important to shop around.

Protect yourself

Arthritis can sometimes make you less flexible and mobile. This can increase your risk of having an accident. There are several measures you can take to limit this risk.

• Eliminate home hazards. Always keep your home well lit and remove all loose wires and cords that you may trip over. Make sure treads, rugs and carpets are secure. Keep rubber mats by the sink and in the bath to prevent slipping, and always clean up spills immediately. Install grab rails in the bathroom and toilet to help you stand up without falling.
• Improve your balance. Exercise that helps improve your balance can prevent a fall. Being physically active can prevent up to 25% of falls. Ideal forms of exercise for improving balance include t’ai chi, yoga and dance.
• Exchange high heels for flats. High heels are bad for your posture and make you more prone to take a fall, so try to wear flat, comfortable footwear.
• Don’t drink too much. Alcohol can affect your balance, making you more likely to take a knock or a fall. Try to keep a recommended daily amounts of alcohol of no more than two to three units for women and three to four for men. A unit of alcohol is half a pint of normal strength lager or beer, one pub measure of a spirit or one small glass of wine.
• Check your sight. As we get older, most of us will experience some deterioration in our eyesight. It’s important to get your sight checked regularly by a qualified optician. Poor eyesight can increase your risk of accident and injury.
• Ask for help. If you know you have arthritis, avoid standing on chairs to reach high cupboards or change a light bulb. Also, try to avoid chores that you know lead to more pain. Write a list of the jobs that need doing around the house and save it for the next time you have a visit from friends or family.

Diet

Food for thought

Some studies suggest that certain foods may help reduce pain and inflammation, and slow the progression of arthritis’

There are many food myths surrounding arthritis. Some people say that dairy products cause arthritis. Some say that cider vinegar and honey will cure it. Others say that acidic fruits (such as lemons, oranges and grapefruit) and nightshade vegetables (such as potatoes, aubergines and peppers) can make symptoms worse. Many people living with arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, also say there’s a link between certain foods and the flare-ups they experience.

There’s little evidence to support these claims, but some studies suggest that certain foods may help reduce inflammation and pain, and slow the progression of arthritis. These foods all contribute to a healthy balanced diet, which will help with the arthritis, and can also reduce your risk of developing health complications, such as heart disease, osteoporosis and obesity.

People taking steroids over a long period of time are more likely to develop osteoporosis. You can reduce your risk of this by eating foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products (milk, cheese and yoghurt), nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds) and fish such as sardines or whitebait (especially if you eat the bones). The sun on our skin is our main source of vitamin D. However, vitamin D can also be found in oily fish and fortified foods, such as cereals and margarines.

Certain foods, such as patés, uncooked meats and unpasteurised dairy products, can increase the risk of developing food poisoning. People taking immunosuppressant drugs are advised to avoid them.

There is increasing evidence that the Mediterranean diet is good for arthritis and a number of other conditions. This diet includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, fish, grains and pulses, with a moderate amount of red meat. Foods rich in omega-3 are believed to have an anti-inflammatory effect, which may reduce the pain associated with inflamed joints. Omega-3 is found in oily fish, such as sardines, mackerel and salmon. Try to eat at least two portions of oily fish a week. Omega-3 is also found in nuts and seeds (especially linseed or flax seed), and is regularly used to fortify margarines, cereals and bio-live yoghurt drinks.

Related Articles:

1. Arthritis
2. Back pain
3. Real life stories – how arthritis affected our lives

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