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Top tips to managing arthritis

22 Jun 2016

As the saying goes, the best treatment is prevention. The same could be said for arthritis. So what should you be doing to prevent the disease and what can you do if you"ve already developed it?

Three in ten Australians will suffer pain from osteoarthritis in their lifetime. According to Jono Freeman, exercise physiologist and strength and rehab coach, there are many circumstances that can cause osteoarthritis, including incorrect join centration, genetics and excess weight gain. In fact, a recently released report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare names joint pain as a major symptom of osteoarthritis.

"The more pressure put on a joint, the further stress it will cause," explains Freeman, who used to work with the Gold Coast Titans NRL team. "This makes the joint work harder to compensate, which in turn causes rubbing against the bone."

Preventing the onset

Freeman says there is plenty you can do to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. For example, prior to doing any exercise, ensure your joints are aligned correctly and during exercise, it's important to use correct techniques.

Additionally, maintain adequate nutrition.

"Having a balanced and healthy diet may assist with easing inflammation in our joints, and slowing the progression of arthritis, or at least helping with symptomatic relief," Freeman suggests.

Always remember to keep yourself hydrated, too. Water is present in our joints, so maintaining adequate hydration levels helps to minimise inflammation by keeping joints lubricated.

Finally, keep moving.

"Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day to ensure that you are increasing strength and flexibility," Freeman recommends, adding that exercise will actually help reduce joint pain.

"Some sufferers believe that exercise will worsen the pain in their joints, but in reality, lack of exercise will cause further stress to joints."

Managing the symptoms

Of course, there is only so much we can do. Sometimes, despite all of our efforts, osteoarthritis still rears its ugly head. But don"t despair, there are things you can do.

As above, maintain physical activity and stick to a healthy diet. If you"re very concerned about doing physical activity, speak to a specialist. Many will recommend warm water exercise classes or hydrotherapy.

Importantly, Freeman says you need to concentrate on your stress levels.

"There's a well-known saying that stress will kill you faster than anything else - the more stress you have in your life, the more inflammatory it is to your body," he explains. "Decreasing stress in your environment will naturally decrease inflammation in your joints and in your body."

And of course, there is pain relief you can take.

"Supplements such as fish oil, glucosamine, and turmeric may assist with restoring balance to your body and reducing inflammation in your joints."

There are also joint pain gels that you can use such as Voltaren and Flexiseq. The most important thing to remember, however, is if ever you are concerned or your symptoms are getting worse, it"s crucial that you speak to your healthcare professional as soon as possible.