You may not believe us, but work is actually good for your health. It is a vital part of modern life. Work offers you financial security and can boost your health and happiness. It can also be a valuable source of purpose and meaning. But let’s be realistic, even if you love your job, it can come with its own unique set of challenges. Whether it be hitting tough deadlines, long hours, and gossipy co-workers. Of course, those who live with arthritis, have to deal with the same challenges as well:
- Pain
- Inflammation
- Swollen joints
- fatigue and many more
To this day, many people still associate arthritis with getting old. This is not the case, you can develop rheumatoid arthritis as young as 30. This means that a number of people are still in the workforce and living with arthritis. Simply duties in work like typing on a keyboard, gripping a pen, or holding the phone to your ear can become major hurdles when your joints are stiff or hurt. This is why we wanted a few tips on how you can manage your arthritis symptoms at work.
Top Tips to Help You Manage Arthritis Pain at Work:
Take Breaks From Repetitive Motions
Whether it’s in the office on a construction site, chances are your work requires some repetitive motions. These motions can cause repetitive stress injuries over time which can worsen your arthritis symptoms. To help reduce the level of pain, make sure to take short breaks when carrying out these repetitive tasks. Why not pop to the loo or go make a cuppa?
Remember the Neutral Positions
Depending on your work, you may have to do a lot of sitting or standing in one position. This stillness can cause your joints to act up so why not take a tip from the physical therapists and move into a neutral position? A neutral position is where your joints are feeling their best. Take your knees for example, if you sit a lot in work, the perfect neutral position is slightly bent. This way there is less pressure on them when you need to rise again.
Movement Will Help
Over doing and under doing it with movement and exercise can both have a negative effect on your arthritis. This is why it is so important to get a good balance of the two. If you are in an office all day, there isn’t much chance to get up and move about. Make sure to take short breaks throughout the day to get on your feet and move about, even it’s just to stretch, it will help.
Whereas if you are on your feet all day, it is important to let your joints rest, take some time to sit and rest throughout the day. You will be happy you did.
Try Arthritis Assistive Devices
Similar to the helpful aids we mentions in our arthritis hobbies blog, there are a number of assistive devices that will make work easier. Why not try:
- Pencil Grips – they wrap around the top of the pen or pencil which gives you a wider grip. You can buy them in any stationary shop or even in some of the big supermarkets. The great thing is, you can swap and reuse them for a long time.
- Ergonomic Keyboards – These keyboards are designed in such a way to help reduce the amount of pinching of nerves in your wrists.
- Mouse & Wrist Mat – Give your wrist some added support with a mouse pad that has build in wrist support. This is usually filled with gel and can be of comfort if you are going to be on the computer for a while.
There is another assistive living product that we know you would love, especially if you are living with arthritis. It’s our Uccello Kettle and the Grip Mat. The Uccello Kettle is a tilt-to-pour kettle that means there is no heavy lifting of a hot kettle. You can use just 1 finger to pour , say goodbye to lifting, balancing and straining for that cuppa.
The Grip Mat is a versatile daily living aid that can be used in a number of ways:
- Help keep items in place with its non slip material
- Open stubborn jars and lids as it gives you extra grip
- Acts as a cup guide for the Uccello Kettle for anyone unsure where to place their cup when pouring. You sit the mat in front of the 2 front feet of the kettle and place your cup in the centre ring for a safe and guided pour every time.
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