Vim & Vigor - Fall 2020 - GMC - 31

31

MAIN PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTHRITIS.ORG

Getting Centered

As much as I'd love to get back to my
yoga classes, I've learned that I need
to take it slow. Unfortunately, there
are no yoga-for-arthritis classes near
me where I live in Staten Island,
New York. But I don't let that stop
me. When I can't take a class, I practice on my own at home.
Other than yoga, I try to get out
and walk my dog, Stella, as much as
I can. I used to run, but every time
I try to get back to that, it seems to
aggravate my RA symptoms and
lead to joint pain.
Finding that sweet spot is really
important, and what I've had to
come to terms with is that the sweet
spot is ever-changing. Even when I
am able to do something one way
and get really comfortable with
that, it can change pretty quickly.

I've learned to keep in mind that
doing something is always better
than doing nothing.
I've also noticed that my diet
really affects how I feel. When I
avoid high-inflammatory foods
like gluten, fried foods and sugar,
I have less pain and more energy.
I try to cook at home as much as
possible. Of course with joint pain,
sometimes the thought of going to
the grocery store is just horrendous.
So now I do all my grocery shopping online.
Something else I've found to
be worth the price is buying precut
vegetables. If I have a full squash
sitting on my counter, I'm probably
going to avoid cooking it because
it hurts to grip a knife. But if it
came already cut, I can easily toss
it into the oven.

Modify Your Moves

Don't let joint pain keep you from being active. Arthritis &
Total Joint Specialists offers a range of surgical and nonsurgical
treatments. Visit arthritisandtotaljoint.com to learn more.

My Support System

I'm lucky to have really supportive
family and friends. But sometimes
it's difficult for them to understand
exactly what I'm going through.
So I've gotten really involved
with the Arthritis Foundation. They
have a community forum called the
Live Yes! Arthritis Network and a
Facebook page, and I've met a lot
of people in person at their events.
It's great that I don't have to explain
myself; everyone just gets it. There
are some really amazing people out
there with life hacks you'd never
think of, like using barbecue tongs
to fish clothes out of the washing
machine or using bathing mitts in
the shower instead of gripping a
loofah. And when you hear about
them, you're like, "Yes! This is
exactly what I needed!" *

Stay Active
with Arthritis

There is no reason to shy away from
physical activity if you have arthritis.
"Physical activity is one of the
best ways to manage pain, preserve
function and improve health," says
Robert Wood, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Northside's Arthritis & Total
Joint Specialists.
Swimming is a great workout
for people with arthritis, because
it doesn't place any force on your
joints and the water is soothing. But
you can usually continue your regular activities with some modification.
"If you enjoy tennis, try pickleball,"
Dr. Wood says. "If you enjoy dance
workouts, try Zumba Gold, which is
easier on joints. You can always skip
or modify any movements that cause
you discomfort."
Whatever you do, listen to your
body. It's normal for exercise to
cause sore muscles, but stop your
workout and seek treatment if you're
having joint pain.

VIM & VIGOR FALL 2020
http://www.ARTHRITIS.ORG http://www.arthritisandtotaljoint.com
Vim & Vigor - Fall 2020 - GMC

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