Three steps you can take today to live well with arthritis

Published by Arthritis Research UK | Arthritis Today | Summer 2016 | No 170

There are more than 200 conditions affecting the bones, muscles and joints. With so many different types of arthritis affecting millions of people in the UK, it’s safe to say there's no ‘one size fits all’ answer to the question, ‘how do you live well with arthritis?’

However, living free of pain and symptoms, and being able to keep on doing the things you enjoy in life, would inevitably appear at the top of anyone’s list. Professor Janet Lord is Director of the MRC-Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research in Birmingham and a renowned expert in living well as we grow older.

We asked her to share with us what action she’d advise people with arthritis to take to manage their symptoms and live well.

Professor Lord says: "My definition of living well is being able to get as much out of life as you want. Though medication alone can help some people with arthritis to achieve this, for many others it also requires them to be bold and actively make lifestyle changes that allow them to carry on getting what they want out of life.

"As researchers we have a responsibility to translate our clinical findings into practical advice which can help people with arthritis to take control of their condition, rather than feeling controlled by it. Every day people with arthritis are making their voices heard, demanding solutions from healthcare professionals and researchers like me, and rightly so.

"Though extensive research is taking place to develop exciting new drug-based treatments, these are usually answers for the medium to long-term. There are so many people living in pain right now, it’s essential we also explore lifestyle solutions with the potential to help people immediately and offer greater choice to those who don’t want to rely on medication alone.

"Considering all the latest research, there are three key things people with arthritis can do themselves to take control."

Move more, sit less

"Firstly, and most importantly, move more and sit less. Any exercise is good.

I’m not talking about joining a fancy gym or running marathons, simply walking up and down stairs keeps your joints moving and builds vital muscle strength, and the load bearing is good for your bones. Walking is fantastic exercise; swimming, cycling, t'ai chi and Pilates are also excellent options for people with arthritis.Walking is fantastic exercise; swimming, cycling, t'ai chi and Pilates are also excellent options for people with arthritis.

Whatever age you are and whatever the severity of your condition, you can make changes and move more. Our research has shown it’s never too late to make a difference.

If you want to become more active, I’d advise starting slowly. Keep a log for a week, recording how long you sit down for each day. Then look at how you can break up your time spent sitting, perhaps by walking to the end of your garden, going upstairs or simply standing up.

Set yourself targets, realistic ones, and build up slowly.

We’re doing lots of work at the moment to explore the impact our increasingly sedentary lifestyles have on our health, particularly the amount of time we spend sitting down at work and at home. Studies so far suggest avoiding sitting down for long periods and that standing up regularly can make a significant difference."

Good for the mind as well as the body

“I realise for people experiencing pain, fatigue or depression, simply getting up, going out and exercising may feel like an impossible challenge. However, there's a huge amount of research into exercise and arthritis and all of it tells us moving more reduces pain, boosts energy levels and eases depression, no matter how severe your condition is. It sounds completely counter-intuitive, but it works.Staying active opens the door to being able to go out with friends and family, carry on with hobbies and stay in work.

We have clear scientific evidence showing exercise is as good for the mind as it is for the body. That’s because moving our bodies reduces inflammation and lowers levels of stress hormones like cortisol which relate closely to pain and fatigue.

Pain in turn causes stress and can stop you sleeping, which in turn leaves you feeling exhausted and depressed. That’s why people with arthritis can find themselves in a vicious circle of depression and inactivity. Something as straightforward as moving more can help to break that negative cycle.

We often find when people are in pain their family members and friends tell them to take it easy and to rest, but exercise is absolutely key to helping people with arthritis to keep living their lives to the full.

Because staying active is a way of battling pain, depression and exhaustion it also opens the door to being able to go out with friends and family, carry on with your hobbies and stay in work. Exercise really can help you turn a vicious circle into a virtuous one."

Maintain a healthy body weight

"The second step, and it’s not often a message people want to hear, is to take action to lose weight if you are overweight or obese.

Research shows just losing 10% of your body weight will significantly reduce your pain and symptoms.

We advise people to lose weight not only because carrying less weight puts less pressure on your joints, but also because it reduces the inflammation associated with arthritis.

Fat tissue produces cytokines – which are the chemical messengers that your body uses to communicate between its cells – that drive the process of inflammation in other parts of your body, for example your joints. So losing weight through a healthy diet and exercise will help you manage your symptoms in lots of ways."

Get plenty of vitamin D

"Finally, make sure you are getting plenty of Vitamin D, which is vital to maintain good bone health.During the summer months just going outside for 15 minutes without sunscreen will give you the vitamin D you need.

The best source of vitamin D is sunlight and during the summer months just going outside for 15 minutes without sunscreen, perhaps for a short walk or to do some gardening, will give you what you need. However, make sure you protect your skin when you are outside for longer periods to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

For the rest of the year, from October to March when the sun is less intense, you can boost your vitamin D with a good diet that includes oily fish, soya products, mushrooms and cereals, or take a supplement.

Together these three small, but significant changes, will make a huge difference – reducing pain, keeping your muscles, joints and bones healthy and boosting your mood – helping you to get the most out of life."

Read our exercise and arthritis information for more on exercising safely with arthritis, and check out our top tips on losing weight when you have arthritis.

View article...