10 Things to Stop Doing If You Have Arthritis

Stop Thinking Your Arthritis Will Go Away

Many forms of arthritis are chronic diseases, meaning they can't be cured. As tough as it is to accept this, it's important to try.

While you can't get rid of arthritis, it can be managed. There is no cure for arthritis. However, treatment advances can help to minimize pain, improve range of motion, and prevent further damage.

See a healthcare provider as soon as you have symptoms so you can begin treatment quickly. By being realistic about arthritis from the beginning—and understanding the condition isn't going away—you'll be able to make decisions that will keep you as healthy and active as possible.1

Stop Thinking You Can't Exercise

Many people who have arthritis are afraid if they're active they'll have more pain and so they just don't get any exercise. This may be one of the biggest misconceptions about arthritis.

At the same time, it's an ironic idea because inactivity actually makes pain and disability from arthritis worse over time, while regular exercise keeps joints moving and prevents stiffness, strengthens the muscles around the joints, and improves mobility.2

Physical therapy and exercise can also help ward off the progression of arthritis. So if you've been sedentary out of fear you'll make your arthritis worse, talk to your healthcare provider.

A physical therapist can give you a gentle, joint-friendly exercise plan. It's fine to respect your arthritis pain, but you don't have to let it stop you.

Stop Giving in to a Sedentary Lifestyle

Not only do some people with arthritis think they can't exercise, but they also believe they need to be more sedentary than is necessary. Of course, it's important to take it easy after an especially active day, or when your body is telling you to, but it shouldn't become a way of life.3

Stop Eating Unhealthy Foods

What's your diet got to do with arthritis? Eating well and maintaining your ideal weight is especially important if you've got arthritis.

Excess pounds can put lots of stress on weight-bearing joints, which is likely to make arthritis pain worse.4 Even moderate weight gain can stress joints that are already burdened by arthritis.

Diet can also play a role in pain and inflammation in people with arthritis. Foods that may trigger an arthritis flare-up include processed foods, deep-fried foods, trans fats, refined flours, red meat, and sugar.

In addition, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight can help to relieve some types of arthritis pain and prevent further damage.

Stop Ignoring Your Physical Limitations

Just as there are people with arthritis who aren't active at all, there are those who push beyond their limits. The trick is to pace your activities. Overdoing it is just as harmful as underdoing it.

Pushing your limits can increase pain and put you at higher risk of joint damage. Respect pain and choose activities with your physical limitations in mind.5

Arthritis can flare up from time to time. Common triggers include overdoing an activity, such as exercise or housework, or an injury to the area.

Stop Avoiding Mobility Aids

A cane, walker, or wheelchair may be necessary for some people with arthritis to stay independent and get around on their own. Understandably it can be tough to think about needing some sort of ​mobility aid, but if you do need one and don't use it you risk missing out on things you would enjoy.

Arthritis patients sometimes avoid painkillers because they're afraid they'll become addicted to them, or they choose not to use biologic drugs because they fear potential serious side effects.

Remember that your healthcare provider would never prescribe something that might hurt you or that you could become dependent on as long as you take it as directed.

Arthritis progression can be slowed or halted through a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle.

Certain types of arthritis can be treated with methotrexate and other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that can slow disease progression.

Your healthcare provider can work with you to find medications to help you live comfortably. They can give you information on how to take them (with food or not), when to take them, and the correct dosage.1