I have a special treat for today’s post: Our beloved colleague, Gabby Torrijos, volunteered to write us a fantastic article about how to live your best, active life while dealing with arthritis. For those who don’t know Gabby, she interned with us a few years ago and is uniquely qualified on the subject of arthritis. Now I’ll let her take it away:
Living with arthritis can be overwhelming. As somebody who has dealt with painful arthritis symptoms for most of my life, I can sympathize better than most, especially with its complications around fitness and exercise.
Despite arthritis being surprisingly common, there isn’t much uniform direction on its management. Most of us are told, “listen to your body,” then sent out the door with a new medication and a pat on the back.
This was one of the factors that drew me to studying kinesiology and pursuing physical therapy. I have learned through trial and error, talking to others with arthritis, and through my college education. Today, I want to share the information I’ve cultivated with you.
Let’s jump right in with a “fun” fact!
The CDC states that more than 53 million US adults suffer from some form of arthritis. The most common variations are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis, but many other types go overlooked. For example, I have Psoriatic arthritis, and approximately 1 in 5 adults affected by arthritis do not know what type they have.
It’s for this reason that finding a Rheumatologist and receiving the appropriate care for your specific type of arthritis is the most important thing. As with anything, the devil is in the details and when dealing with your individual case, your best bet is to work with a qualified professional to decipher those details.
I may be sharing some general knowledge, but I am in no way a specialist. Be your biggest supporter and advocate for yourself!
Here are my tried and true life tips for living your best life with arthritis:
1) Motion Is Lotion
The most common thing I have heard from doctors and anyone else with arthritis is that motion is lotion. Arthritis can cause you to feel stiff, achy, creaky, and painful, leading many individuals to avoid exercise and activity.
Unfortunately, inactivity isn’t a helpful long-term solution.
A better strategy is to find some form of movement that is tolerable and productive. The motion doesn’t need to be extreme to begin with. Doing the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week is a great start!
Try walking daily. Try that gentle yoga class. Get some pool time with a beginner’s water aerobic class.
The point is, it doesn’t have to be a blood-pumping sweat-fest to be effective. Easy, gentle movement that you can do regularly will do so much more for you than you can believe. After you start, you will soon notice how much better you feel from regular movement and you will miss it on the days that it doesn’t happen.
As you feel better, you’ll notice that you want to be more and more active, which leads me to my next point.
2) Slow And Steady Wins The Race
I have reached rock bottom in the world of arthritis.
I used to have to wear knee braces just to walk to a building from a disabled parking spot. I used to have to take the stairs one step at a time while holding onto the railing.
I started off slowly, beginning with those 5-minute daily walks. From there, I started doing slow yoga flows and bodyweight exercises.
I went to physical therapy, focusing on strengthening the muscles around my joints.
After months, and with proper medical treatment, I was able to ditch the knee braces and the disabled parking spot. I could navigate the stairs without fear or embarrassment. Now, I weightlift, dance, snowboard, and attend exercise classes. I feel strong enough to partake in everyday life, mostly carefree.
And I got there by giving my body the time and gentle progression it needed to get stronger.
3) Exercise, Especially Strength Training, Is Necessary.
At this point, most people don’t know that I have arthritis.
I live an active lifestyle, making sure I walk throughout my day. For me, standing still or sitting still hurts more than being in motion. I make sure I space my day around sitting, standing, walking, and lying down. Incorporating exercise into my routine, however small, is imperative to feeling my best.
Your body is dynamic in nature, and you should treat it as such. Sit and stand in a variety of ways, even if you feel out of place! As you become more active, explore more types of activity because each can offer unique benefits.
For me, nothing has been as helpful as strength training and this seems to be in line with what current models in the literature suggests. In fact, a recent meta-analysis found that strength training for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis led to significant outcomes, sufficient to be clinically relevant.
I currently strength train 4 times a week, and I notice that if I take more than a week off from getting stronger, the pain increases. When I’m consistent with my strength training, it seems to reinvigorate my body and mind from my arthritis.
But it wasn’t always like that. There was a time when that would have been overkill for me, which is why an individual approach is key.
4) You’re Stronger Than You Think, But It’s All About Balance
Listen to me when I say this: You are stronger than you think.
Early on in my journey of dealing with my arthritis, I used to be scared of weightlifting and would limit myself due to that fear. When your joints are regularly achy, stiff, and painful, it can be easy to feel fragile. That fragility often causes us to feel limited and become stuck.
During my time at NOVA Strong, I was told bluntly, “You’re stronger than you think.”
I didn’t believe them at first, but over time, I started to listen and allowed myself to try new exercises or to add more weight. I learned that my body was more resilient than I thought and that, despite how it may feel at times, it can still adapt.
I also learned that I need to respect that progression. When I follow my second point—taking it slow and steady—I feel great. If I ever let my ego get ahead of me, I can and will pay the price.
So remember, you are stronger than you think. You can do hard things. Your body is resilient and can adapt, but you must respect it and be mindful not to overdo it.
5) Recovery Is Key. Nutrition, Sleep, and Stress Management Are More Important Than You Think!
Recovery isn’t just about staggering your workouts. It’s also about nutrition, sleep, and stress management. Ideally, you talk to your doctor about what adjustments to your diet will be best for you.
I follow a protein- and fiber-rich, anti-inflammatory diet, which works well for me.
I ensure I get a minimum of 7 hours of quality sleep, which is in line with the NIH’s recommendation of 7-8 hours for adults.
I manage my stress by doing things I enjoy, like dancing or watching K-dramas.
I do all of this, and I still have pain, but it is minimal and manageable.
Arthritis attacks one’s own body. Whether you have Osteoarthritis or an autoimmune arthritis, your body is working overtime to try and “heal” those parts that are damaged. This means that it may take you longer to recover than somebody without arthritis.
We have to be careful about how much load we’re putting on it and how much of a chance we’re giving it to handle that load. In fact, Jarrett wrote an article on preventing injuries using a “stress bucket model” that also applies to this scenario.
I have to be careful not to fill my stress bucket too quickly, causing it to overflow and exacerbate my symptoms. I also need to make sure that I’m providing my body with the utilities it needs to recover or “drain the bucket”.
This is where a trainer, like those at NOVA Strong, comes into play. It is critical that someone with the right knowledge guides you in a constructive way, allowing you to get stronger without overexertion.
In Summary
Arthritis can be frustrating, but just remember…you are stronger than you think, this movement is necessary, motion is lotion, and slow and steady wins the race. Give yourself grace and allow your body to recover so it can support you in whatever you want to do in life.