Arthritis is a common musculoskeletal condition that usually affects elder men and women. Joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation are the most common symptoms of this condition.
This pain can get so bad as to affect your movement and leave you unable to do simple things like walking upstairs or even turning a doorknob. Arthritis cannot be reversed but with medication and a few lifestyle changes, your quality of life can be improved.
We reached out to Dr. Nakul Shah, Consultant Orthopedist at Practo, and asked him to share his expert inputs on the lifestyle changes we can make to manage this condition. Read on to know all that he shared!
Exercise And Weight Loss
Though it is difficult to do, losing weight can help relieve the pain caused due to arthritis. This takes the pressure off your joints and increases the range of possible motions. Though exercising may be the last thing you want to do, it can help increase your flexibility and help strengthen your muscles. Aerobics, stretching, and strength training are ideal for arthritic patients.
Assistive Devices
Arthritis can make a person knock-kneed or bow-legged. Wearing unloading braces, shoe inserts, or walking with a cane can help redistribute your weight and take the pressure off your joints. It can also help relieve pain and prevent arthritis from worsening.
Eating Right
Some types of foods can worsen arthritic symptoms. This includes processed foods like white flour and sugar, yeast, chemical additives, gluten, hydrogenated and trans fats, milk products, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. Hence, avoid consuming these foods and instead have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. You could also try alkaline foods like green leafy vegetables, wheatgrass, and aloe vera.
Massage Therapy
A massage not only de-stresses the body but can also relieve muscle and joint pain by improving blood circulation. Massages also help break up muscular waste deposits and increase the amount of oxygen circulating in the body. This helps transport nutrients to tissues and carries toxins away. Ideally, an arthritic patient should have a massage two to three times a week in the beginning and at least twice a month once the condition has stabilised.
Supplements
Along with eating healthy, including a few supplements in your daily diet can also help alleviate arthritic symptoms. When it comes to rheumatic arthritis, the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C help fight arthritis by promoting bone and cartilage growth and reducing infection. Fish oil is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation. Vitamin D is another supplement that helps relieve arthritic pain by helping the bones absorb calcium faster and preventing further loss of cartilage.
What would you like to know about arthritis? Please share it with us in the comments below!
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