Sometimes you can ease the pain and stiffness caused by arthritis and related conditions simply by changing the way you normally do things at work or at home.
Here are some tips from the Arthritis Foundation. Later in the article, we'll talk about why your joints hurt and what you can do to protect your body from further damage.
Carrying objects: Use the palms of both hands, not your fingers.
Climbing stairs: Go up by leading with the stronger leg. Come down by leading with the weaker leg.
Lifting objects: Hold items close to your body. Don't put pressure on your hands, arms or back. Whenever possible, slide objects rather than lift them.
Opening a jar: Use the palm of your hand or a jar opener. Don't grasp or twist with your fingers.
Traveling: Divide travel items into two equal loads. Don't carry unequal loads that pull unevenly on arms and shoulders. Better yet, use a suitcase with wheels and a pullout extension handle.
If you sit at work, use an adjustable chair. Paper holders, footrests and wrist and armrests can also be useful.
Instead of holding them, lay your work papers or books on the surface to read; or use a bookstand.
Use felt-tip pens; they require less pressure. Or you can use pens with oversize grips.
To stand correctly, imagine that a straight line connects your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and heels. Stand with your feet slightly apart, or with one foot in front of the other to keep your balance. Don't lock your knees; bend them slightly. Suck in your stomach and tuck your buttocks under.
Standing this way will help to prevent pain. If standing for long periods becomes painful, lean against a wall or put your foot on a stool to flatten your back and prevent slouching.
Swelling, joint damage, muscle tightness or spasm may cause pain in muscles and joints.
When your joints are inflamed or damaged, you need to take certain precautions with your daily activities. Your doctor, physical therapist or your union occupational therapist may teach you helpful ways to use heat and cold to decrease pain.
It is important to lessen the stress on your joints during daily activities so that you don't aggravate the arthritis or damage your joints.
Here's a handy checklist of basic principles for joint protection:
- Respect pain.
- Avoid stressful positions.
- Change positions frequently.
- Use your largest, strongest joints and muscles for a task.
- Keep your muscles strong and your joints flexible.
- Use splints and helpful devices if necessary.
Copyright 2002 by Dr. Phillip L. Polakoff and medical writer Jack Tucker/Press Associates news service.
Share
Sometimes you can ease the pain and stiffness caused by arthritis and related conditions simply by changing the way you normally do things at work or at home.
Here are some tips from the Arthritis Foundation. Later in the article, we’ll talk about why your joints hurt and what you can do to protect your body from further damage.
Carrying objects: Use the palms of both hands, not your fingers.
Climbing stairs: Go up by leading with the stronger leg. Come down by leading with the weaker leg.
Lifting objects: Hold items close to your body. Don’t put pressure on your hands, arms or back. Whenever possible, slide objects rather than lift them.
Opening a jar: Use the palm of your hand or a jar opener. Don’t grasp or twist with your fingers.
Traveling: Divide travel items into two equal loads. Don’t carry unequal loads that pull unevenly on arms and shoulders. Better yet, use a suitcase with wheels and a pullout extension handle.
If you sit at work, use an adjustable chair. Paper holders, footrests and wrist and armrests can also be useful.
Instead of holding them, lay your work papers or books on the surface to read; or use a bookstand.
Use felt-tip pens; they require less pressure. Or you can use pens with oversize grips.
To stand correctly, imagine that a straight line connects your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and heels. Stand with your feet slightly apart, or with one foot in front of the other to keep your balance. Don’t lock your knees; bend them slightly. Suck in your stomach and tuck your buttocks under.
Standing this way will help to prevent pain. If standing for long periods becomes painful, lean against a wall or put your foot on a stool to flatten your back and prevent slouching.
Swelling, joint damage, muscle tightness or spasm may cause pain in muscles and joints.
When your joints are inflamed or damaged, you need to take certain precautions with your daily activities. Your doctor, physical therapist or your union occupational therapist may teach you helpful ways to use heat and cold to decrease pain.
It is important to lessen the stress on your joints during daily activities so that you don’t aggravate the arthritis or damage your joints.
Here’s a handy checklist of basic principles for joint protection:
- Respect pain.
- Avoid stressful positions.
- Change positions frequently.
- Use your largest, strongest joints and muscles for a task.
- Keep your muscles strong and your joints flexible.
- Use splints and helpful devices if necessary.
Copyright 2002 by Dr. Phillip L. Polakoff and medical writer Jack Tucker/Press Associates news service.