Osteoarthritis: The Most Common Form of Arthritis
Arthritis includes a broad group of disorders that affect the muscles and joints. Symptoms can include inflammation and limited movement in the joints, pain in the joints, and if a joint is warm to the touch, red, or swollen. There are over 100 known forms of arthritis.
Cartilage is a protective fluid that helps keep your joint motions fluid and moving. Cartilage can be damaged by inflammation or damaged making movements in the affected joint painful.
If you are having problems with painful joints, consult your doctor. It’s important for your doctor to tell you what arthritis you have to discover the best treatment for you. Other symptoms may include fatigue, sleeplessness, muscle aches, and depression. If you have any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, it’s time to consult your doctor.
Joint pain can limit what you are able to do at work, or at play. Even some of the simplest of tasks can be overwhelming. Many people say the loss of mobility causes more distress than the actual pain. Arthritis can make personal hygiene hard to maintain, even buttoning a button or rising from the toilet seat are tasks that people with arthritis have a hard time overcoming.
Weight is also an important cause in arthritis and arthritis pain. By carrying a normal weight and avoiding excess stress on your joints will help lessen the pain from arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is often called degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis in today’s population. It can affect any joint in your body, including those in your back, fingers, heels, hips, and feet. The exact cause of osteoarthritis but its believed to be a combination of being overweight, aging, stress on joint, injury, and muscle weakness. When problems occur in the joints, the body tries to fix the problem. This results in new bond growing alongside old bones. This produces lumps, most commonly on the hands and feet. These bony lumps may be tender at the beginning of the disease but lessen as the disease progresses.
If you are suffering from osteoarthritis, you will notice it affects the joints that bear the most weight. Swelling may occur, particularly in the knee area making it painful to walk.
On the other hand, you may discover that the arthritis is attacking your fingers because you work with needlework, or are active on the computer.
You might believe that exercise would not help those with osteoarthritis. That is false; in fact, you should exercise more to manage your arthritis pain. Regular exercise that is moderate gives many benefits to people with arthritis. It helps build stronger muscles around the joints, reduces joint pain and stiffness, and promotes an overall feeling of good health. Exercise will help you sleep better, give you a higher self-esteem, control your weight, and decrease depression.
Always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program regardless of your age. Remember to start slow, and make it something that is fun to do. You are more likely to carry through with your routine and enjoy what you are doing. Start out slowly, stretching the muscles that will increase range of motion. This will help in performing ordinary daily activities.
Once you have conquered the slow part of the program, work your way into more vigorous exercise. If you are experiencing extreme joint pain, you may want to consider finding a water aerobics program in your community. If you are comfortable with what you started out doing, increase your exercise, try walking around the block, investigate taking a yoga class, or maybe even play a round of golf.
Osteoarthritis doesn’t have to mean the loss of your normal lifestyle. By working an exercise program that doesn’t put excessive stress on your joints can help you remain active and reduce the amount of pain you suffer from this disease.
Large numbers of senior adults have faced osteoarthritis. They still are able to enjoy nearly the same quality of life they have been used to. Don’t be afraid of exercise, it can give you back your mobility and free you from some pain. Start slowly and listen to your body. It will help you learn your limitations and work with what mobility you have.
