Arthritis and Rolling Pins

I haven’t scribbled anything for the past few days, owing to the fingers being unable to type, not even at their usual tortoise pace. The weather has been really damp—I don’t have to glance at the barometer in the morning to tell me that there’s a lot of moisture in the air, as the joints give me advance notice. A lot of others say that their arthritis is worse with heat, but I’m the opposite, and I think I’ll try out some arthritis gloves, which plenty of folk seem to recommend. Anyway, there’s a bit of warmth today, so I’d better hit the keys.

Unless you are severely crippled with arthritis, then being active is very important for both your mental and physical health. You don’t want your activities to become either boring or painful, so it’s important that you decide what’s right for you. I would say that you have to be aware of your own limitations, both mentally and physically, and pace yourself accordingly. Doing things steadily, and not in bursts, is an important factor in getting some relief from arthritis pain.

You can still get as much done as you used to by breaking up large tasks into smaller parts, instead of attempting to the whole lot at once. Take cleaning the house, for instance. You could do an hour per day during the week, instead of four to five hours on a Saturday. Alternatively, deal with one room a day. For those cleaning jobs, try to keep a supply of commonly used cleaning materials in different parts of the house to avoid unnecessary trips. When using the washing machine, put smaller items like your socks and underwear in something such as a laundry bag to avoid causing pain again whilst searching for them.

If you have to lift something, use the knees and not the lower back, as it can cause severe damage. Of course, if you think that something looks too heavy, it probably is—wait until help is available. As you do certain chores, you are carrying out exercises to parts of the body, but you could probably benefit from having an exercise programme mapped out, especially tailored to your specific needs.

Rest is certainly an important part of pain relief, whether it’s having a short lie down on the bed, or relaxing in your most comfortable chair. Everyone is different, so by trial and error, you can gauge the best ratio of exercise to rest that works for you. Try to vary your tasks, so that you aren’t using the same muscles for too long a period of time. If you feel that something is becoming too stressful, do something else—you might feel like a stretch, a rest, or carrying out a completely different activity. Only do what you feel is just enough for your body to be able to cope with. Watch your affected joints, and spare them any unnecessary stress. I mentioned lifts above--it goes without saying that you should avoid any heavy lifting, although I have to admit that the term “heavy” can have a different interpretation from one person to the next.

As I pointed out in an earlier article, when travelling by car, try to stop at least once every two hours or so on long trips in order to stretch your limbs. In the house, or at work, adopt a similar attitude—try not to sit or stand in the same position for a long time. Switch position, or move around now and again, in order to loosen up.

Although you should try to avoid using your affected joints to excess, there are times when you simply have to. When I happen to bend the fingers of my hand suddenly, it can be extremely painful, so I sometimes have a splint on, which I find very helpful. Depending on which part of your body is affected, you might be able to make use of things such as back braces, collars, or elastic bandages, all of which minimise the risk of injuries to certain joints.

There is something that I should mention for those who, like me, are sometimes restricted in the use of their fingers. Try utilising your palms for certain tasks, such as using a spray bottle, squeezing water out of washcloths, getting out of a chair, or using a rolling pin (for its lawful purpose, of course!)