Arthritis Pain: Standing and Sitting
Arthritis is a group of rheumatoid diseases that primarily affects a persons joints. There are over a hundred different types of arthritis, which can affect people of all ages. However, arthritis is most common among seniors and of all the different kinds of arthritis, 10% make up the majority of all cases.
Among the different types of arthritis, joint pain is a common denominator. In many of the different types of arthritis, joint pain and discomfort starts in the morning and remains for about thirty to forty-five minutes. Part of the reason for this joint pain is that the body has been immobile the entire night and become stiff.
It is also not uncommon for this type of joint pain to occur in those who remain seated for an extended time period. As a result, standing and sitting can become a very difficult task for an arthritis suffer.
The Vicious Cycle of Arthritis Pain
In an effort to protect their body and reduce pain, many seniors decide to remain seated for longer than normal, as they know that as soon as they get up, they will experience joint discomfort. However, this is not really effective, because it actually only serves to put off the inevitable and can actually make the pain of standing up even worse. It is very easy for this to turn into a vicious cycle of arthritis pain.
The Importance of Exercising and Stretching
Instead of staying still and putting off getting up, exercise and stretching are a much more effective way of dealing with this type of discomfort. By periodically getting up and preforming some low impact stretches and exercises*, it is often possible to head off this pain before it begins.
For some people and some types of exercises, exercising might not be enough or might simply be ineffective at relieving arthritis pain. Make an effort to get up before the pain begins, preform some exercises, and then sit down again. It will take some practice and experimenting to get the timing right, but eventually this can greatly reduce arthritis pain and discomfort. By finding the right timing, it will be possible to get up before arthritis pain sets in, making standing more difficult.
*It is very important to speak with your doctor to determine what type of exercises and stretches will work best for your situation.
When Exercise Isn't Enough
For some people and some types of exercises, exercising might not be enough or might simply be ineffective at relieving arthritis pain. In these cases, there are some medical devices that can be used to help make living with arthritis easier. However, do not be afraid to ask for help either.
For the bedroom, there are several popular standing aids available that can be securely attached to the frame of the bed, or the mattress, and provide one or more grab bars. This makes getting out of bed much easier and is often much more effective than installing grab bars on the wall, which could not easily be grasped by someone in bed.
For the living room, lift chairs present one of the more common types of standing aids and are designed similarly to recliners, with a reclining backrest and a footrest. However, lift chairs also contain a powerful lift system in the chairs base, which raises the frame of the lift chair into the air. This makes it possible to exit the chair in a standing position and to also sit down in a controlled manner.
