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this page: Osteoporosis | Resources |
Quality use of Medicines | Osteoarthritis | Exercises
for Osteoarthritis | Rheumatoid
Arthritis | Rest and Exercise
for Rheumatoid Arthritis | Want
to know more? | Becoming
a Member
"Arthritis..my parents had it, my grand
parents had it of course I have it.. and
there’s nothing I can do about it! "
Have you ever heard yourself say this?
Do you and your friends all talk about
the arthritis that you just have to bear?
Think again. Something can be done about
arthritis. With retirement looming, this
can be one of the best times of your life
and there’s no reason why arthritis
should slow you down. Have a look at our
site and see what can be done about arthritis – from
healthy eating tips to exercise and medicines.
Don’t just live with arthritis in
your retirement, live well!
Have you
just been diagnosed with arthritis? Do
you want to know more? Call our help line
on 1800 011 041.
Click
on this link to find out about some
common types of arthritis.
 Osteoporosis
Find out more about this disease which
affects thousands of Australians - and
how to prevent it. Click
here.
Resources
Click here for
other resources which can be of help -
brochures and information sheets.
Quality Use of Medicines
Click here to go to our Medicines page
for information on arthritis medicines.
Osteoarthritis
 Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. People frequently see
osteoarthritis as being a progressive and disabling disease
Some people do experience symptoms of
severe pain and stiffness. But for many,
symptoms are mild and cause only temporary
and occasional problems.
Osteoarthritis is a condition involving
the breakdown of the protective cushion
of the cartilage covering the ends of the
bones where two bones meet to form a joint.
Current thinking is that osteoarthritis
is due to changes within the cartilage
cells which lead to a loss of elasticity.
Over a period of time, the cartilage thins
and may even break down leaving the bones
unprotected. As a result, the joint loses
its smooth functioning. The bone loses
shape and thickens at the end to produce
bony spurs called osteophytes.
Exercise for Osteoarthritis
Exercise is of vital importance in the
overall management of arthritis and is
something you can do to help yourself gain
some control. In today’s busy world,
many of us seek quick solutions for problems.
Similarly you may be seeking treatments
for your arthritis that give the desired
results quickly. However, in the case of
exercise as a self-management strategy,
the old saying “slow and steady wins
the race” applies. If you develop
an exercise plan that is enjoyable and
part of your lifestyle you will have a
greater chance of success.
However when using exercise as a tool
for pain management or to increase fitness,
it is important to do exercise that is
appropriate for you and to follow correct
guidelines. If you do this you will be
much more successful in your program and
will feel better for it.
 Benefits of exercise:
- Keeps muscles strong
- Keeps joints more
mobile and flexible (increases the range
of movement)
- Maintains fitness
(heart and lungs)
- Helps to reduce fatigue
- Helps with depression
- Is often a distraction
from pain and other problems
- Is often connected
with social activity and fun
- Helps to maintain
a good body weight
- Strengthens bones
and reduces the risk of Osteoporosis
- Improves posture
and balance
- Relieves muscle tension
- Reduces stress levels
- Improves sleep patterns
Types of exercise
There are three different types of exercise:
- Mobility – assists
you to maintain and improve the range
of movement of a particular joint. This
is essential for daily activities. For
example, you cannot undertake the simple
task of opening a window if your shoulder
movement is restricted, or feed yourself
if your elbow doesn’t bend beyond
a particular point
- Strengthening – stronger
muscles enable you to do more without
feeling tired and provide support and
protection for joints and improve your
balance. When muscles are weak it’s
difficult to build them up again
- Fitness/aerobic – exercise
for fitness is essential. Inactivity
over many years is a major contributor
to disability and increased pain. There
is evidence that being physically fit
is important if you have arthritis because
fitness can be improved without making
your arthritis worse and will ease your
pain
 What
are the best fitness/aerobic exercises?
- Walking
- Swimming
- Water exercise
- Hydrotherapy
- Dancing
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a very safe and effective way of gentle exercise which helps with
flexibility and mobility and strengthens as well as improving posture and
balance. It is graceful in movement which helps you to focus and relax. Dr
Paul Lam has developed Tai Chi for Arthritis, which has been designed for
people with arthritis and sore knees and hips.
To purchase this video or for any other
information on exercise call us on 1800
011 041.
Warm water exercise however is one type
of arthritis that is beneficial to people
with all types of arthritis. Arthritis
NSW runs warm water exercise classes, please
call the office for more information.
 Challenging
Arthritis has a whole module dedicated
to exercise. For information click on the
picture at left.
Remember though..if it hurts – stop
and get your doctor to look at it.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
(RA)
Arthritis is a broad term that covers
over 150 conditions. Rheumatoid Arthritis
(RA) is one of them. Arthritis is derived
from the two greek words arthron and itis,
which when translated literally mean joint
inflammation.
Rheumatism is a general term used to describe
any pain in the musculoskeletal system.
 Arthritis is inflammation of joints that
may result from injury, infection, errors
of metabolism or genetic predisposition.
The first step in dealing with arthritis is to understand the condition and
the factors that may cause it and/or aggravate it.
Osteoarthritis is another very common
form of arthritis where the cartilage in
the joint becomes worn and inflamed causing
pain on movement.
RA and Osteoarthritis are two quite different
diseases with very different treatments
for each one. It is important not to confuse
the two.
If you have any doubt which type of arthritis
you have please discuss this with your
doctor as soon as possible because the
earlier treatment can begin with RA the
better the health outcome with less damage
to your joints.
RA is an inflammatory condition.
The start of the disease
In most people RA starts quite slowly. A few joints – often the fingers,
wrists or the balls of the feet – become uncomfortable and may swell,
often intermittently. You may feel stiff when you wake up in the morning. Many
people only seek help from the doctor when the symptoms become more severe
and frequent. It is most important to seek help from your doctor early to allow
for treatment to start as soon as possible as it will improve the inflammation
and reduce the damage.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory
arthritis that occurs when the lining of
the joints, the synovium, becomes inflamed.
This inflammation causes the synovium to
thicken (pannus). Fluid is produced by
the joint lining, which causes swelling
and stiffness. The swollen red joint has
increased blood flow and may feel warm
to touch.
Our bodies normally produce inflammation
to destroy things, such as bacteria, which
cause illness. We do not know what sets
off the inflammation in the joints of someone
with RA but the result is the same – something
is attached and perhaps destroyed. Unfortunately
in RA the tissues in the joints are attacked.
This eventually causes damage to the cartilage
and sometimes the bone itself. It may also
damage any ligaments within the joints.
Rest and Exercise
for RA
The proper balance of rest and exercise
is very important in the management of
RA.
Rest
Rest helps to reduce swelling and pain
around the joint and reduces fatigue.
It is important that the day is planned to allow activity to be broken
up with frequent periods of rest. The
amount of rest needed depends on the
state
of the disease. When it is severe, or in a more active phase, more rest
and less exercise is needed than during
times of improvement. Exercise
Exercise means a daily routine, specifically designed for the individual to
maintain muscle strength, health cartilage and joint mobility. Exercising
in warm water is beneficial. It is essential to involve members of your health
team, especially the Physiotherapist in planning an exercise program.
Are you interested in joining a water
exercise or hydrotherapy class? Contact
us for information about classes near you
in which you can participate. Phone us
on 1800 011 041.
Challenging
Arthritis has a whole module dedicated
to exercise. For information click on the
picture at right.
Remember though..if it hurts – stop
and get your doctor to look at it.
Want to know more?
Click on the links below for
Are you interested in meeting with other
people who are experiencing similar issues
with their arthritis? Click
here for information on our branches and
support groups.
Becoming a Member  Being
a member of Arthritis NSW gives you access
to our branches and all they offer - in
particular, hydrotherapy classes (where
available), the latest research news, and,
importantly, social contact with other
people who have arthritis. You'll make
new friends and learn ways to manage your
arthritis and get the most out of life. Click
here to find out more about our branches,
and see if there's one near you.
You'll also get free enrolment to our Challenging
Arthritis Program, an innovative,
interactive program you can do over the
internet or on a CD-ROM.
Our quarterly Arthritis News magazine,
which is only available to members, has
articles on medicines, exercise, diet and
research, as well as information on seminars
and other events.
If you are a pensioner, you can join for
only $15.00 per annum. Pensioner couples/families
can join for $25.00 per annum. Click
here to find out more about joining Arthritis
NSW.
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