Keeping our Joints Healthy

Having osteoarthritis is a long-term proposition. Staying active and keeping your joints healthy so that you can do the things you want and need to do is your job, as independently as you can, for as long as you can.

Physicians say that there is nothing that they can do to slow the progression of osteoarthritis. And in the majority of cases, there's nothing the patient can do that would make the disease get worse faster.

You can manage your osteoarthritis on your own, with so much of the time. You'll need the guidance of a doctor or physical therapist to cope with pain, handle obstacles, and make sure you're steering in the right direction sometimes. When will you seek help?

When you're beginning an exercise program

When you have osteoarthritis, the worst thing someone can do is nothing. For those people with osteoarthritis, exercise is particularly important. Muscle strengthening takes strain off the joints while core strengthening has been shown to be very important in taking strain off the knee to prevent injury.

Of course you know how to walk, and your gym trainer can show you how to use weight machines. When you have arthritis, it is a bit more complicated to exercise than it is for a healthy 25 years old. To prevent injury and make the most of your exercise program, you should consult a doctor or physical therapist when you start so that you can get a customized program that's designed for your own individual needs and limitations.

When the pain gets in the way

When you're hurt when you walk or bend, you are avoiding your weekly golf game or working in your bellowed garden.

It's time to intervene when you're having enough pain that prevents you from doing what you need or want to do. You can relieve the pain sometimes with cortisone or other medications like drugs that mimic the effect of chondroitin on cartilage.

There are other ways to ease pain that include:

- Using of orthotics. These are custom-made shoes inserts that help protect knees and hips by acting as shock absorbers when walking.

- Use of knee brace to help stabilize the knee joint.

- Ice therapy. Putting ice to the affected joint may help improve swelling, pain and range of motion.

- To relieve painful joints, you can use topical analgesics.

- You can also use over-the-counter or prescription medications to help relief pain and stiffness.

When you have arthritis, it may seem like your home is filled with obstacles, such as doors that are hard to open, lamps that are difficult to turn on. Your home should be a place where you feel safe and comfortable. To make these everyday tasks easier, assistive devices for arthritis can help. There are tools that are available to ease the strain on your joints from opening small jars and bottles to getting out of the tub.

Don't let arthritis pain get in your way. There's no reason to ache when you can act.