Apr 17, 2023

Common areas of the body susceptible to Arthritis. Stretches & Tips to help relieve symptoms from Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a common condition that affects the joints, causing pain and stiffness. The condition can affect any joint in the body, but some tend to be more prone to arthritis than others.

Joints

Joints are where two bones meet, and they're covered with cartilage.

Cartilage is a smooth, rubbery tissue that helps the bones glide smoothly across each other as you move.
Arthritis occurs when this protective covering wears away or breaks down over time, exposing your bones to friction as they rub against each other.

When arthritis affects a joint, you may have pain and stiffness in that area.

👉You might also feel soreness when bending your knees or walking up stairs (if it affects your hips).

👉If it affects the neck or lower back region (where many vertebrae are located) arthritis can cause severe pain throughout these areas.

👉Arthritis can make simple tasks like sitting up from lying down difficult or impossible without assistance

Arthritis comes in many forms, but the most common locations are knees, hands and feet.

Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation in your joints. It can affect any joint in the body, but some are more prone to developing arthritis than others.

✔️Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two types of arthritis that affect the joints. Both conditions cause pain, tenderness, stiffness and reduced movement in the affected joints.

✔️Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are not just diseases of older people. They can occur at any age and affect people in different ways.

✔️Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints caused by wear and tear over time. It can affect any joint in your body, but it most commonly affects your knees, hips, hands and spine.

✔️Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the lining of your joints. It usually affects several joints at once — usually hands and feet at first, then knees and elbows. In RA, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in the body, including cartilage and bone.

The most common locations of Arthritis include:

knees (especially the patella)
feet (metatarsals or tarsal bones)
hands
hips
spine
ankles
elbows
shoulders
neck
jawbone

Lets look at a few more of these areas of the body more closely:

Knees

Your knees are the most commonly affected joints by arthritis. As you age, the cartilage in your knees wears away, causing pain and swelling that may be accompanied by stiffness. The symptoms of knee arthritis can range from mild to severe, depending on how much damage has been done to the joint.

👉If left untreated, these symptoms will worsen over time as more cartilage is damaged.

👉This can lead to further complications like osteoarthritis (bone-on-bone contact) or rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic inflammatory disease).

While there's no cure for osteoarthritis yet, there are some treatments available that can help reduce pain and improve mobility: exercise therapy or specialized treatment plans from your doctor which may include surgical procedures such as total knee replacement surgery (TKR).

Wrists and fingers

Arthritis in the hands is one of the most common forms of arthritis, but there are some treatment options for this condition.

Feet and ankles

👉Arthritis in the feet is common, especially among people over 60. The joints of the toes and feet are often affected first.

👉Arthritis in the ankles can be caused by repeated stress from activities such as walking or running on hard surfaces (as in athletes), or from injuries to ligaments and tendons around the ankle joint.

Shoulders and elbows

👉Arthritis in the shoulders and elbows can be treated with various options including physical therapy, but surgery may be needed to repair damage.

Treatment for arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. There are many different types of arthritis, but they all have certain symptoms that are similar.

There is no cure for arthritis, but there are a variety of treatments available to help manage the symptoms and increase mobility.

Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes inflammation in your joints. These treatments can reduce pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints by decreasing the amount of inflammatory chemicals produced by the body.

The goal of treating arthritis is to keep moving as much as possible so you don't lose muscle strength or range of motion in affected areas. Exercise is key to keeping joints flexible; however if you find yourself struggling with pain during certain exercises (e.g., running), talk with your doctor or physical therapist about other options that may be more comfortable for you such as swimming or biking instead.

They may recommend a treatment plan including heat ( TSHELLZ wraps are a great example of this) before exercising so blood flow increases which helps decrease any pain during exercise while also helping muscles recover faster after working out!

Try to keep your joints as mobile as possible.

You can keep your joints as mobile as possible by stretching them regularly. Stretching exercises will help to increase blood flow to the joint and reduce stiffness, which in turn can relieve pain.

Stretches for Arthritis

The good news is you can help relieve arthritis pain through exercise and stretches. Simple stretches can help reduce the pain of arthritis in the lower back, knees, feet and shoulders.

Knee to chest

To do this stretch, sit on the floor with one leg out straight in front of you. Bend your other knee and pull it into your chest. Hold for 10-30 seconds and then switch legs.
If this is too difficult or painful for you, try doing a modified version where instead of trying to hold both knees at once (the full "knee-to-chest" position), just bend one leg towards the chest while keeping the other extended straight out in front of you on the floor as much as possible without pain or discomfort.

This stretch should be done at least twice per day - ideally after waking in the morning before getting out of bed and again late at night before going to bed if possible - but no more than three times per day since overdoing it could cause injury!

Ankle circles

To do ankle circles, stand on one leg and keep the other straight.
Then move your extended leg in a circular motion, keeping it off the floor.
Do this exercise 10 times per side, twice per day and repeat if you have time.

If you feel pain while doing this stretch, stop immediately! Pain is not normal when doing these exercises; if it's happening to you then something else is probably going wrong with your body or posture that needs to be addressed by someone else before continuing with these stretches

Calf stretch

Standing on a step or using a chair for support, take your right leg back behind you and bend it.
Keep your back straight and knees soft, then stretch forward with both hands toward the toes of your left foot.
Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching sides.
Repeat three times on each side over the course of several days to start noticing results!

Hamstring stretch

To perform the hamstring stretch, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend forward at the hips until you feel tension in your hamstrings (the back of your thighs).
Hold that position for 30 seconds to one minute, then relax. Repeat three times daily.

If you experience any pain while doing this stretch, stop immediately and consult a doctor before continuing with physical therapy exercises or alternative treatments such as heat (Like using a TSHELLZ wrap) or ice therapy.

Hip flexor stretch

The hip flexor stretch is a great way to loosen your hips. You can do this stretch on a mat or on the floor. To do the hip flexor stretch:

Lie down on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Lift one leg up off of the ground so that only one knee is touching it (you may need to adjust your position so that both feet are flat).
Place both hands behind your hips and gently pull them toward you until you feel a gentle stretch in front of your groin area, not in back where it would be painful!
Hold for 30 seconds then switch sides for another 30 seconds hold time before switching again if desired

This exercise each day should equal at least 2 minutes minimum but no more than 10 minutes maximum per day before resting again due to risk of injury.

Neck and shoulder stretch

Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart, toes turned outwards slightly.
With your arms at your side, then each both arms behind you, keeping them straight.
This can be a small movement until you start to feel a stretch.
Breathe deeply into this position for 30 seconds before releasing slowly back into starting position again

⚠️You don’t want an injury occurring due to overstretching muscles beyond their normal range of motion.

Another option is using resistance bands such as MendMeShop’s exercise bands which offer resistance against stretching movements performed by contracting muscles around joints involved during workouts like squats & lunges

It's okay to stretch

Stretching is a great way to maintain your flexibility, increase blood flow and circulation, improve posture and reduce muscle tension.

🚶If you have arthritis, it's important to stay active. Stretching can help alleviate pain and improve your flexibility. You don't need any special equipment or even a lot of time, just set aside five minutes every day to do some simple exercises like we mentioned above. And of course, always check with your doctor before you start any new exercise routine!

Heat can help ease stiffness and pain in aching joints.

✔️Heat can help ease stiffness and pain in aching joints.

Use heat before and after exercise, as well as when you're trying to relax your muscles or reduce pain. Heat is also useful in helping improve blood flow to your joints, which can help fight inflammation. If you have arthritis, try using a TSHELLZ wrap on the affected area for 15 minutes at a time. You might even find that it helps you sleep better as your pain and inflammation could be reduced.

Ice packs can reduce swelling and swelling may also respond well to cold therapy.

Apply ice packs to the area of pain for 15 minutes at a time, several times each day.
Use a bag of frozen vegetables or a frozen gel pack. You can also use an ice cube wrapped in a towel (make sure it's not too cold).

In addition to exercise, many people find that participating in activities like water therapy, yoga or Pilates helps them manage their symptoms.

Participating in these types of physical activities can help improve your overall health and quality of life. Exercise can:

Keep joints flexible
Reduce muscle pain
Build muscle strength
Improve balance and coordination
Reduce stress
Help you sleep better
Improve cardiovascular fitness

✔️If you have pain that does not respond to these methods, talk to your doctor about other options that are available including physical therapy, massage therapy or acupuncture.

✔️There are many other options for treatment of arthritis pain and stiffness that may be appropriate for you.

It is important to keep moving because it helps keep joints flexible and reduces stiffness

You should not stop exercising because of arthritis. Exercise is good for the joints, and it can help reduce pain, keep you active and improve your overall quality of life.

Keep moving by doing exercises that involve moving the affected area (such as stretching) or those that don't require movement at all (such as walking).

What to do if you have arthritis?

If you are diagnosed with arthritis, it can be confusing and overwhelming. There's a lot to learn about your condition and how it affects you. We can walk you through the basics of what to expect as well as tips for dealing with the symptoms of arthritis. This way, hopefully we can all get through this together!

You may want to consult with a doctor about your symptoms.

If you think you have arthritis, it's important to see a doctor. Your doctor can help with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this condition.

You need support from others, especially those who know you best.

✔️Family and friends can be a source of comfort and encouragement as they share your feelings with you. They can also help by listening to your concerns and helping out around the house when needed.

✔️Join a support group

Support groups are an excellent way of getting information about arthritis, exchanging ideas with other people who have arthritis, sharing experiences, learning coping skills and feeling less isolated because of having this condition.
You'll meet new people who are facing similar challenges as well as those whose lives have been changed forever due to their own health conditions.
If there isn't already one in your area then consider starting one yourself!
Look up "arthritis support group" online and see what comes up in your area. There could also be online forums that you could join for support

✔️ Owning pets may reduce stress levels associated with chronic pain conditions such as arthritis; however there hasn't been enough research yet, so don't rely solely on this method alone! We are big animal lovers here at MendMeShop so know the wonderful benefits of having a furry friend in the home.

You can still be active and participate in physical activities after you are diagnosed with arthritis.

🚶Arthritis is a chronic condition that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints. It can also affect your physical abilities and limit what you are able to do. However, exercise is important for overall health and helps people with arthritis manage their symptoms better.

🚶Exercise can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight by burning calories through physical activity like walking or swimming. If you have arthritis in your knees or hips it is especially important to stay at an appropriate body mass index (BMI). Keeping an appropriate BMI will lower your risk for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip over time by reducing excess weight on these joints which put strain on them when bearing weight

You should try to maintain a healthy weight, as carrying extra pounds can increase joint pain and stiffness.

Here are some tips:

Eat more fruits and vegetables (especially those rich in vitamin C) to help reduce inflammation.
Cut down on high-fat foods such as red meat, butter and margarine, cheese and fried foods.

If your hands are affected by arthritis, make sure to use them while performing activities such as cooking, typing or driving. Use tools like special kitchen tools or keyboard shortcuts on your computer to avoid straining your hands and fingers.

If you have trouble gripping objects and performing everyday tasks such as opening jars or turning doorknobs because of arthritis in the joints of the fingers or thumb (arthritis of the hand), try these tips:

Use a jar opener with an adjustable handle that fits around any size jar lid; it can be purchased at most supermarkets or department stores
Consider purchasing one-piece utensils that don't require a grip for eating meals

🚶If you have osteoarthritis, exercise is not necessary for improving symptoms because it mostly involves strengthening muscles around the knee, hip and ankle joints.

🚶However, exercise can help improve balance, reduce fatigue and give your mood a boost.

🚶 It also helps manage weight gain which can put more pressure on your joints.

🚶Exercise may also delay the need for surgery by reducing inflammation of joints that do not have cartilage (for example, the knees).

Because of this benefit, doctors recommend exercising if possible....even though physical therapy may be recommended first depending on severity of symptoms and other medical conditions that might also affect how well you move around.

Arthritis is a condition that affects millions of people every year. It can make it difficult to move around and do the things we enjoy, but there are many treatments available that can help you manage your symptoms.

🧑‍⚕️The first step towards feeling better is knowing what type of arthritis you have and what treatment options are right for you. If any of these sound like something that might work for your situation then talk with your doctor about them today!

🧑‍⚕️If you think that you might be suffering from the condition, we encourage you to visit your doctor as soon as possible so they can help determine next steps for treatment.

MendMeShop also has some great pain creams that can help relieve pain from Arthritis including our Arnica Infusion and On-The-Go muscle rub stick

References

We pride ourselves on being thoroughly researched before we post blog posts, articles or webpages. Here is a list of references used to create this content:

👉Ref 1: Physical Activity for Arthritis, CDC Website.

👉Ref 2: Exercise helps ease Arthritis Pain & Stiffness, Mayo Clinic

👉Ref 3: What is Arthritis, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

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