Almost every single day I interact with a person who “HAS” arthritis. They say it like it is a death sentence. Like they are doomed to pain and the inability to enjoy life.

How does one know if they have arthritis? Well, they just feel because their parent, sibling, cousin, neighbor, etc has arthritis and their problem is similar that arthritis MUST be the problem. Some doctor took a picture of their body part and said “yep there is your problem, you got arthritis.” Or worse yet, they were looking for something else, saw the “arthritis” in an area you had no issue and now that is all you can think about. Now a body part that did not hurt…hurts….because some doctor told you that you have arthritis.

But is it really the problem? Did arthritis JUST appear the day you began to have problems or pain?

Just what exactly is arthritis? Well, there are several different forms, so I will stick to the most common osteoarthritis. Basically, osteoarthritis is a change of joint surfaces due to NORMAL wear and tear.

Did you know that arthritis is just a part of NORMAL aging… If you have enough birthdays you will eventually get arthritis. So unless you wish to die young, chances are you will get arthritis and most will be just FINE.

Arthritis does not just appear, it develops over many years. Some people may be predisposed to arthritis based on genetics or they may sustain an injury in younger years that speeds the process, but time is involved. Right now there are millions of people walking around with “ARTHRITIS” and are just fine. They are not limited or slowed by their arthritis or pain.

But how you ask? I thought arthritis meant pain and inability to be active? NOT EVEN CLOSE…more on this to come momentarily.

Right now if you google arthritis you will get nearly 84 million hits. Meaning everyone has an opinion (mine is not more right than another), and everyone feels they have THE answer (I will not claim that either).

What I will share are things TO DO and NOT TO DO to live a life not limited by arthritis.

Lets start with the What NOT to do list.

1. Do not sit around and do nothing- Over time, this can lead to muscle weakness, muscle/joint stiffness or tightness, and an overall reduced tolerance for activity
2. Do not think taking pills will solve the problem- Pills can have harmful side effects when taken long term. This can include liver or kidney damage, dependency on the drugs or even death. Plus pills only mask symptoms, they do not solve the problem.
3. Do not wait thinking surgery is the answer- Why not do everything you can to avoid surgery? After all, rehab will be necessary after your surgery anyway.
4. Do not think there is nothing that can be done- That only applies if one does nothing.

Now, what should you DO.

1. Be active- Moving around (even just walking) and remaining active helps keeps your muscle, joints, ligaments and bones healthy. This also reduces the likelihood of developing secondary issues from being sedentary.
2. Find an exercise (program) that you enjoy. Exercise stimulates endorphins which help the body and mind feel good
3. Address your concerns by seeing a physical therapist. They listen, examine, and develop a plan to help you meet your goals. Early consultation tends to result in better outcomes compared to those waiting until they are severely suffering. Not sure a physical therapist can help you? Then check out this FREE resource to learn more

Tired of suffering, unable to enjoy life as you want? Time to do something about it…

Get moving to more enjoyable life.