Arthritis

There are things that you can do to manage your condition, ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life. For example:

• Controlling your weight can help to ease pressure on joints.
• Avoiding stress or injury to your joints can help to prevent or reduce the severity of osteoarthritis.
• Good posture can strengthen healthy joint structure.
• Physiotherapy and use of a walking stick or cane can help prevent worsening of existing conditions.
• Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, will help to prevent osteoarthritis by increasing the strength of muscles that support your joints. It's not true that avoiding exercise will help reduce joint problems in later life.

Your GP can refer you to an occupational therapist who will be able to advise you on the equipment you may need to assist your independent living. They can also write supporting letters to your local social services department. If you need to adapt your home, a range of services and merchandise is available, so it's important to shop around.

Protect yourself

Arthritis can sometimes make you less flexible and mobile. This can increase your risk of having an accident. There are several measures you can take to limit this risk.

• Eliminate home hazards. Always keep your home well lit and remove all loose wires and cords that you may trip over. Make sure treads, rugs and carpets are secure. Keep rubber mats by the sink and in the bath to prevent slipping, and always clean up spills immediately. Install grab rails in the bathroom and toilet to help you stand up without falling. Your GP or local authority may be able to give you support or advice about safety in the home.
• Improve your balance. Exercise that helps improve your balance can prevent a fall. Being physically active can prevent up to 25% of falls. Ideal forms of exercise for improving balance include t'ai chi, yoga and dance.
• Exchange high heels for flats. High heels are bad for your posture and make you more prone to take a fall, so try to wear flat, comfortable footwear.
• Don’t drink too much. Alcohol can affect your balance, making you more likely to take a knock or a fall. Try to keep within the government recommended daily amounts of alcohol of no more than two to three units for women and three to four for men. A unit of alcohol is half a pint of normal strength lager or beer, one pub measure of a spirit or one small glass of wine.
• Check your sight. As we get older, most of us will experience some deterioration in our eyesight. It's important to get your sight checked regularly by a qualified optician. Poor eyesight can increase your risk of accident and injury.
• Ask for help. If you know you have arthritis, avoid standing on chairs to reach high cupboards or change a light bulb. Also, try to avoid chores that you know lead to more pain. Write a list of the jobs that need doing around the house and save it for the next time you have a visit from friends or family.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents offers more information about safety in the home.