11 Worst Arthritis Pain Mistakes Everyone Should Avoid

Arthritis pain is one of the most common conditions experienced by mankind, and to date is one of the least understood. A broad term that actually covers over 100 different joint pain conditions, arthritis can refer to rheumatoid or inflammatory arthritis, knee arthritis, etc… (1)

According to the Center for Disease Control, the chronic pain caused by arthritis is the now the leading cause of disability in the United States (2). For the more than 50 million Americans affected by arthritis, pain management is priority number one (3). Effective arthritis pain management will not only help reduce current discomfort and increase mobility but can help prevent worsening of the condition in the future. That being said, there are a number of very common mistakes one can make that can drastically affect quality of life.

The Low-Down on Arthritis

Most of us know someone affected by arthritis, but very few of us really know what the condition means.

As for what causes arthritis: there is no one single cause (4). Most of the time, it’s a question of either lifestyle or medical history.

In fact, arthritis causes include infection, smoking, previous injury, genetics, and even obesity. Usually, the cause is a combination of factors.

While genetics can make someone more or less susceptible to some forms of arthritis, lifestyle usually determines if and how bad arthritis develops.

Symptoms of arthritis include joint pain and inflammation, stiffness, and decreased range of motion. These can all worsen your quality of life and make day-to-day living difficult. (5)

See also: anti inflammatory foods

11 Arthritis Pain Mistakes

For all of these reasons and more, taking care of your joints will go a long way in preventing future pain and discomfort. If you’re at risk for arthritis or if you have the condition, avoid the following arthritis pain mistakes.

1. Avoiding Exercise

Exercise may be the least appealing thing when your joints ache, but it really will help you feel better to get moving (6). Working out has countless physiological and psychological benefits, including lubrication of the joints and decreased depression symptoms (7,8).

Supervised strength training, in particular, is beneficial for arthritis patients as it promotes muscle growth and supports the stability of joints (9). For those times when you may be hurting too much to get to the gym, a simple walk would be infinitely better than remaining sedentary.

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