Arthritis and joint pain are common conditions that can affect anyone as they age, leading to discomfort, pain and reduced mobility. But by taking some simple, proactive steps now, you can protect your joints and improve your quality of life in your later years.
Common Types Of Arthritis Associated With Ageing
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here’s a brief overview of the two arthritic conditions:
- OA is often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage cushioning the ends of your bones deteriorates over time or with injury, leading to stiffness, pain and loss of mobility. According to the World Health Organization, “73% of people living with osteoarthritis are older than 55 years”.
- RA is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing painful inflammation. It is frequently misstated that RA is more likely to occur with age, but the diagnosis is actually more common in younger age groups, especially those in the 30-40 age bracket. It can even arise in young children. The reason why RA is associated with age is because, although it is not a degenerative disease itself, it often worsens over time without the right treatment, resulting in secondary degenerative changes due to active inflammation.
How Arthritis And Joint Pain Can Affect Quality Of Life As You Age
Arthritis and joint pain can severely impact your daily activities and overall quality of life. This is because the resulting stiffness, pain and swelling can make basic tasks like walking, gripping objects, and even getting dressed, challenging.
As the conditions progress, they can also impact mental health, contributing to anxiety in anticipation of pain, as well as low mood and depression. If the arthritis causes pain at night, this can lead to poor sleep or insomnia, which can also lead to issues with mental health.
In addition, limited movement due to joint pain can lead to weight gain and muscle loss, which can put more stress on the joints and limit movement even further. For many people, it’s important to maintain independence as they age, but untreated or poorly maintained arthritis can make it difficult to achieve this.
6 Tips For Preventing Arthritis And Joint Pain Later In Life
Dr Naveen Bhadauria, Consultant Rheumatologist, explains: “Really, the most effective way to prevent arthritis and joint pain later in life is to start making some lifestyle changes right now. Arthritis in its many forms does not usually occur instantaneously and is usually triggered by or a result of lifestyle factors or issues in the body that have built up over time. Therefore, implementing some simple habits today can play a really vital role in preventing arthritis in the future, ensuring that you have a better quality of life as you age and are able to enjoy life well into your later years. If you have any concerns about your lifestyle or your joints it is important to seek advice from a medical professional as soon as possible, as arthritis can be degenerative, or lead to secondary degenerative changes; if it is caught early then steps can be put into place to prevent it worsening.”
There are simple lifestyle changes that you can make – regardless of what age you are, but especially if you are below middle age – which can help in preventing the onset of arthritis. These include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight – Excess weight puts unwanted stress on your joints, particularly the knees, hips and spine. Staying at a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of developing OA and keep your joints in better condition as you age.
- Exercise regularly – Low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling and walking help strengthen the muscles that support your joints. Resistance training is also recommended at any age, and does not need to be performed with heavy weights in order to be effective.
- Avoid inflammatory foods – Sugar is a commonly consumed inflammatory ingredient, and it is highly recommended that those with RA or any inflammatory arthritis should cut down on sugar to reduce flare-ups. In addition, it has been suggested that gluten, red meat and fish could contribute to joint pain when eaten in large quantities, so it is best to regulate your intake of these foods where possible.
- Consume a joint-healthy diet – Try to consume a healthy, balanced diet, with a variety of vitamins and minerals to help maintain joint health and good overall health. Foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D are especially recommended, and your rheumatologist may suggest taking supplements if you aren’t getting enough of these nutrients in your diet.
- Reduce stress – By promoting relaxation and mindfulness, yoga and meditation can help to reduce stress and resulting inflammation. Additionally, these practices can improve flexibility, strength and balance, all of which are important for joint health. Regular yoga and meditation can help to alleviate joint pain, reduce the frequency of flare-ups and improve overall quality of life for individuals with joint conditions.
- Be mindful of your joints – While low-impact exercise can help strengthen your joints and keep them healthy, high-impact exercises may do the opposite. Exercises where you are at risk of injury, or which cause repetitive impact to one or more joints, could increase your chances of OA. If you are an athlete or sporting enthusiast who participates in high-impact activities regularly, make sure that you see a specialist trainer in your sport, who should be able to analyse your movements and ensure that you are using correct form to help minimise the impact to your joints.
These suggestions can not only help improve or maintain the health of your joints, but also your overall health, which is important as you progress into your later years.
What To Do If You Already Have Arthritis Or Joint Pain
If you are experiencing arthritis or joint pain, it’s not too late to take action to improve your comfort and quality of life. Consider seeking medical advice through a private rheumatologist, who can help with diagnosis and treatment, whether through physical therapy, medications, lifestyle adjustments, or a combination of all three.
The sooner you are able to receive the proper advice and, if needed, treatment, you can implement strategies to improve your health well into later life.
To book a consultation with Consultant Rheumatologist Dr. Naveen Bhadauria, call 0207 126 7264 or book an appointment by using our online booking form.
Article by Dr. Naveen Bhadauria
