Arthritis is a degenerative condition, which means the symptoms gradually worsen over time. It can have a seriously detrimental impact on your quality of life, making it difficult to perform day-to-day tasks.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for the condition however, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to help ease your symptoms. While the improvements can be relatively minor, particularly if you have severe arthritis, psychologically, it can be extremely beneficial to take control of your own health and wellbeing.
Exercise for osteoarthritis
Exercise can be an effective way to ease the pain of arthritis, although it may be difficult to begin with, particularly if your joints are very painful and you have a significant loss of mobility. It is worth persisting, however, as exercising your joints helps to nourish cartilage and keep your joints more lubricated. The more inactive your joints are the more likely they are to become stiff, dry and malnourished.
Certain types of exercise are better than others for people with arthritis. These include swimming or aqua aerobics, yoga and Tai Chi, walking, cycling or Pilates. Experts recommend little and often, and you should always do some simple stretches to warm up your joints before you start. If you are out of condition, build up gradually and don’t try and do too much too soon. It is a good idea to incorporate exercise into your daily routine if you can, for example by walking a bit more whenever you can.
Diet for osteoarthritis
Exercise is one of the ways of maintaining a healthy body weight, which can help to reduce the pressure on painful joints. Another way is to ensure you eat a balanced diet, incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables, pulses, wholegrain and protein.
Supplements for osteoarthritis
Taking a gram of fish oil a day has been shown in studies to reduce the pain of arthritic joints. This is because it contains two omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to reduce joint inflammation. Vitamin K has also been found to benefit arthritis sufferers, helping to relieve symptoms and possibly also preventing the condition from worsening. The body uses vitamin K to repair damage to bones and cartilage. It is found in leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach.
If you have osteoarthritis, you might be offered a range of treatments including painkilling medications, injections or joint replacement surgery. This will depend on the severity of your condition and your doctor will discuss the pros and cons of each with you. The important thing is not to suffer in silence as there are things that both you and your doctor can do to reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis.
Go Orthopaedic specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and can help you get back to a more active and fulfilling life. One patient recently commented about Vivek Gulati after a total hip replacement:
“The operation was a complete success and almost immediately I was able to carry on my life, at last without pain. I am able to go dancing, swimming, yoga and lead the life I had before.”
Arthritis diagnosis and treatment | London
Mr Vivek Gulati is an experienced orthopaedic consultant with the expertise to perform non-surgical treatments or joint replacement surgery.
For your appointment there is a choice of locations:
The London Clinic – 116 Harley Street, London, W1G 7JL, Directions
BMI The London Independent Hospital, 1 Beaumont Square, Stepney Green, London, E1 4NL, Directions
Our Consultation Fees are clearly presented here.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your treatment options with a specialist, please contact the team.
