Managing Arthritis at Home

When it comes to managing arthritis at home it’s important to make changes to your lifestyle. Joint pain and weakness can make your normal activities around the home difficult. You might find some tasks cause you pain or strain, and other activities become almost impossible. There are many ways that you can protect your joints from pain and strain and make jobs around the home easier to manage.

Look after your joints

Joints affected by arthritis are weak and unstable. This makes them more vulnerable to damage, particularly from twisting or repetitive movements. It is important to start looking after your joints as soon as you are diagnosed with Arthritis. Small changes in the way you do things can greatly reduce the stress on your joints and help prevent problems becoming worse in the future.

Pace yourself

If you carefully plan your chores/activities, you can make the most of your energy. Pacing helps you to finish what you want to do without increasing your pain.

When doing tasks around the house, set a steady pace and take a break BEFORE you get tired and sore. Don’t overdo things on ‘good days’ as it could result in pain and fatigue the following days.

Listen to your body

Pushing through pain can make it worse and can also increase stress, fatigue and joint damage. Be aware of the pain but try not to fear doing something that you enjoy. It is better to keep doing activities a little at a time, with plenty of rests, rather than give up altogether something which you enjoy.

Work smarter, not harder

Look for ways that you can use tools or your environment to help you accomplish tasks. For example, slide objects along a bench rather than lifting them, take advantage of carts or trolleys when transporting large items.

Small changes

Simply changing the way, you do an activity can save time, energy and unnecessary joint pain. For example, can you do this task while sitting rather than standing? Sit at the table when chopping vegetables for dinner rather than standing if you have sore knees, hips or feet.

Avoid staying in one position for too long

Staying in the same position for long periods can lead to tired muscles and stiff joints. It is generally recommended to change positions or stretch every 20 minutes.

It’s important to consult a medical professional when making lifestyle changes. They will be able to guide you in the right direction.

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