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Living with Arthritis
- 2024-03-07
- Reading time: 11 min.
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Living with Arthritis: Navigating Daily Challenges for a Better Life
Over 50 million people in the U.S. have arthritis,1 a chronic condition that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, often making normal, everyday tasks and activities more challenging.2 While osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, other forms include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus.
As mobility decreases, living at home with arthritis can become increasingly more difficult, requiring the ability to develop an effective arthritis management strategy. Read on to explore this common condition in more detail, as well as tips and strategies for maintaining your independence while living with arthritis.
Understanding Arthritis and Its Different Types
As a condition that impacts people of all ages, genders, and races, arthritis is a term used to describe chronic inflammation and stiffness in the joints. These are the most common types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA): As the most prevalent form, osteoarthritis often occurs in older adults. Resulting from the wear and tear of cartilage that cushions joints, OA typically causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): This form is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing discomfort and inflammation. It can affect various joints in the body and may also cause fatigue and systemic symptoms.
- Psoriatic Arthritis: This type of arthritis is associated with psoriasis, a skin condition characterized by red, scaly patches. Psoriatic arthritis can cause joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, as well as skin problems and thick, pitted fingernails.
There are many other forms of arthritis, each with distinct causes and symptoms, including juvenile arthritis, gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Challenges of Living with Arthritis in Back and Other Body Areas
Arthritis commonly occurs in the joints of the neck, hands, knees, hips, neck, and back. For example, those living with arthritis in lower back areas may experience these lifestyle-limiting symptoms as a result:
- Chronic Pain: Arthritis often causes persistent joint pain, which can be debilitating and affect daily activities such as walking, lifting, and sleeping.
- Reduced Mobility: Joint stiffness and inflammation can limit mobility, making it exceedingly more difficult to perform basic tasks like bending, reaching, or climbing stairs.
- Fatigue: Due to the constant pain and inflammation, arthritis sufferers often feel tired and run down, making it harder to accomplish routine tasks and maintain an active lifestyle.
- Emotional Impact: Living with chronic pain and limited mobility can be emotionally draining. Those living with arthritis may feel frustrated, anxious, hopeless, and even depressed.3
Management Tips for Living with Arthritis in Lower Back, Hip, and Knee Joints
While having arthritis anywhere in your body is uncomfortable, living with arthritis in the lower back, knee, and hip joints can be notably difficult, making it harder to maintain one’s independence and quality of life. Thankfully, managing arthritis symptoms is possible by taking these steps:
Regular Exercise
Engaging in low-impact exercises, such as swimming, Yoga, or brisk walking, can help strengthen muscles, improve joint flexibility, and reduce pain.4
Pain Management
Work with healthcare professionals to implement a pain management program that includes medications, hot/cold therapy, or topical creams to alleviate pain.
Assistive Devices
Use braces, canes, or other assistive devices to reduce strain on joints while performing daily tasks.
Healthy Lifestyle
Following a well-balanced diet, managing body weight, and not smoking can alleviate arthritis symptoms and enhance overall health.5
Stress Management
Stress can exacerbate arthritis symptoms. Engaging in relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness can help reduce stress levels.
Home Modifications
Create a safer and more accessible home environment with arthritis assistive devices by installing grab bars, ramps, or adaptive equipment.
Support Network
In addition to seeking emotional support from friends and family, joining an arthritis support group can provide reassurance, understanding, and valuable tips from others living with arthritis.6
Optimal Comfort, Safety, and Accessibility: How a VELA Chair Supports Independent Living with Arthritis
At VELA, we understand the challenges those living at home with arthritis face. Our chairs are uniquely designed to help individuals with arthritis lead more active and fulfilling lives. As an innovative mobility chair solution for performing normal, everyday tasks around the house, a VELA Chair supports user independence in these ways:
Customizable Support
With its foam-padded seat, backrest, and armrests, the VELA Chair is ergonomically designed to provide optimal support and comfort for individuals with arthritis. The adjustable seat, backrest angle, and armrests allow users to tailor the chair to their specific needs.
This adaptability is crucial for relieving joint stress and promoting proper posture, reducing the risk of pain and discomfort while working at a desk in an office chair with locking wheels, sitting at a table, preparing food in a cooking chair for elderly, or watching TV. Unlike most other arthritis assistive devices, a VELA Chair conforms to your changing needs while making everyday life go much easier.
Streamlined Mobility
Mobility is one of the key aspects of independent living for individuals with arthritis. A VELA Chair has four smooth-running wheels, allowing you to push or “walk” yourself around while seated. This enhanced mobility feature is notably beneficial for completing daily chores all around the home without relying on others for assistance.
The chair’s compact design ensures easy maneuverability through narrow spaces, making it suitable for various living environments. The large wheels allow you to effortlessly glide across most surfaces, including tile, wood, short-pile carpet, and stone, conserving precious energy for fun activities later in the day.
Adjustable Seat Height
As a versatile and adaptable mobility aid, a VELA Chair has a high-quality electric lift, allowing you to gently raise or lower the seat height at the touch of a button once you’ve locked the wheels. In addition to providing sit-to-stand lift assistance, this innovative feature lets you reach surfaces high and low – like your kitchen or bathroom shelves – without expending a lot of energy or stressing painful joints.
Seamless Transitions and Transfers
Arthritis can make transitioning from one position to another significantly more challenging. The VELA Chair offers seamless transitions between sitting, standing, and even reclining positions. The chair’s intuitive mechanisms and user-friendly controls enable individuals with arthritis to effortlessly adjust their posture, promoting more fluid movements and reducing strain on their joints.
Getting in and out of bed or using the toilet can be intimidating experiences for those living with arthritis, sometimes necessitating the use of toilet aids for elderly. A VELA Chair enables you to safely and comfortably transfer from one surface to another with renewed confidence. Simply lock the wheels with the handbrake, place your feet on the ground, and use the sturdy armrest to support your body as you gently slide off the seat onto another surface.
Exceptional Safety and Stability
Arthritis can affect an individual’s balance and coordination, heightening the risk of elderly falls, which are particularly injurious.7 The VELA Chair’s many stability-enhancing features minimize the likelihood of falling. With its sturdy construction, wide base, anti-tip design, and sturdy brake, a VELA Chair provides a secure and stable seating platform for users with arthritis.
This enhanced stability alleviates the fear of falling, allowing users to perform tasks efficiently and confidently, ultimately empowering them to lead more active and fulfilling lives.
An Economical Mobility Solution
Living with arthritis often requires long-term mobility solutions built to withstand the rigors of daily use. Every VELA Chair is hand-constructed from high-quality materials and durable components, ensuring its reliability for many years with proper care. This enhanced durability is essential for individuals with arthritis, as it minimizes the need for frequent replacements and repairs.
Are you ready to transform your everyday life and reclaim your self-reliance with a living with arthritis chair from VELA?