By Elissa Lee and Albert Jiang, Contributing Writers
Thomas, a 72-year-old retiree, used to be an avid hiker and would frequently explore the sandy trails of Crystal Cove. However, due to osteoarthritis in his knees, he found himself spending more time indoors, dealing with the pain and stiffness that came with his condition. One morning, Thomas experienced a particularly debilitating episode when he couldn’t stand up after using the toilet. This incident unsettled him and his wife, Lois, and they ultimately sought help from a physical therapist before considering knee replacement surgery.
During his first physical therapy session, Thomas expressed not only the physical pain and stiffness he experienced but also the frustration and embarrassment it caused him. The pain was preventing him from participating in activities he loved, like hiking and playing with his grandchildren. Thomas realized that his arthritis was starting to rule his life and was eager to try physical therapy as a more conservative approach to managing his condition.
Arthritis encompasses various joint disorders, with the most common forms being osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OA is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when joint cartilage breaks down over time. On the other hand, RA is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the joints. Arthritis affects a significant portion of the adult population in the United States and can have varying impacts on their day-to-day lives. Older adults, in particular, commonly experience issues with their knees, hands, wrists, and hips, with knee osteoarthritis becoming more prevalent in recent years.
As Thomas continued his physical therapy sessions, he realized the extent to which arthritis was limiting his daily activities. The pain prevented him from enjoying hobbies and even performing basic tasks. Thomas expressed frustration with his decreased mobility and unhappiness with his sedentary lifestyle.
In our practice, we’ve encountered many patients like Thomas who have felt that arthritis was hindering their everyday lives. Here are a few tips to help manage arthritis symptoms:
1. Consult a medical provider: Seek medical advice to explore pain management options, including medications and dietary changes that reduce inflammation. Additionally, maintaining a healthy body weight can alleviate the burden on your joints, especially the knees.
2. Scale your movement with monitoring and modification: Understand the connection between movement and pain. Identify triggers that worsen your pain, such as overworking the joint, cold weather, stress, or infection. Keep a log of symptoms to identify patterns. For example, if cold weather triggers pain, have blankets or a heating pad nearby. Differentiate between acute inflammation or injury and chronic pain. Rest and apply ice during acute flare-ups, but consider gentle movement and heat for chronic pain.
3. Try lower-impact exercise alternatives: Incorporate gentle stretching, slow joint movements, or using assistive devices like walkers or canes to reduce joint load. Warm up before full activity to increase blood flow, circulation, and release endorphins. Building muscle strength, maintaining bone health, managing weight, and improving energy, balance, and mood can also help alleviate joint pain.
It’s important to remember that managing arthritis takes time and practice. Thomas, for example, learned strategies to modify his daily routines to avoid triggers and reduce inflammation. After several physical therapy sessions, he was able to effectively manage his pain and return to activities he loved, like hiking and playing with his grandson.
This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, The Journalists Network on Generations.
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