The Tribune

By Dr Felicia Adderley, RPT, DPT, CKTP, MLD-C, CHC

Physiotherapist and certified health coach

According to the Arthritis Foundation, one in thrr people between the ages of 18 and 64 have arthritis. Some 54.4 million people in the United States were diagnosed by their physician as having arthritis between 2013 and 2015.

There are over 100 different types of arthritis. The impact on your day-to-day activities may vary depending on the type of arthritis you're dealing with. For example, if you're diagnosed with osteoarthritis, which is the most prevalent form of arthritis globally, you may struggle with pain in the joints in your knees, hands, hips or spine. All hope isn't lost, even if you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is defined as swelling and tenderness in one or more of the joints. The symptoms can be managed, so the pain that comes with this disorder need not be debilitating and disruptive to your lifestyle. The damages that it could leave on your joints cannot be reversed. However, you can always slow down its progression, so it doesn't reduce your quality of life.

Now, just like other ill-health conditions that would reduce your quality of life, the most practical way of knowing if you've developed osteoarthritis is looking at your symptoms. If you have symptoms which suggest that you have osteoarthritis you should then schedule an appointment with your doctor for a detailed examination of the symptoms. Here are some of the symptoms which may warrant an appointment with your healthcare provider to be assessed for possible diagnosis of arthritis.

Swelling around the joints

Grating sensation when you use your joints or feeling of “bone rubbing on bone”

Joint pain, especially after or when moving around

Joint stiffness, especially when you wake up in the morning or after some period of inactivity

Tenderness on the joints when light pressure is applied near the joint or on the joint

Limited range of motion: In this case, you'd feel like you lose flexibility would experience difficulty moving the affected joint through the normal full-range motion

You may be at risk of osteoarthritis if: you are older than 50 years old, you struggle with obesity, you have a history of joint injuries, you are a smoker or if your joints are exposed to repeated stress. Protecting your joints should be your primary focus if you have any of these risk factors. Here are a few tips that you may find helpful if you wish to slow down the effects of arthritis.

Watch your weight: You will need to ensure that you do not gain excess weight as any extra weight would only add more pressure on the joints.

Protect your joints: You can prevent your osteoarthritis from getting worse by only using your strongest and largest joints for carrying or lifting. You may also consider supporting the joints with braces prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels: This is important because high blood sugar levels increase the rate of formation of molecules that impact your cartilage, making them more sensitive and stiff. You can maintain your blood sugar levels within safe limits by keeping yourself hydrated, exercising regularly, and increasing your fibre intake.

Aim for a healthier lifestyle: Just like most conditions, osteoarthritis can be managed by choosing to live healthily. The foods you will typically need to avoid, in this case, run the gamut from alcohol to added sugars, red meats, high-salt foods, and gluten-rich foods, among others.

The bottom line

The key to managing osteoarthritis and slowing down its effects is knowing your risk factors and how you can manage the situation.

If you suspect that you could be at risk or already struggling with this condition, you can schedule a call with the therapist by reaching out to us at Adderley Physiotherapy at (242)326-3052, info@adderleyphysio.com or like us on Facebook (Adderley Physiotherapy) to watch our livestream every Thursday.