It’s a myth you should put your feet up to stop arthritis from getting worse. Movement is the key, and walking daily is the secret of keeping joints moving and pain at bay.
Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the UK. It’s thought one in seven of us has some form of it, leading to stiffness, limited movement and pain. Yet many do the wrong thing when they’re diagnosed because of a misconception that the condition is ‘wear and tear’, and the best way to prevent it getting worse is to stop walking.
That’s precisely what you shouldn’t do, says David Vaux of charity Arthritis Action: “Movement is the fundamental thing. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest pain from arthritis is improved if we can move, and this is universally experienced with injury or an arthritic joint. “If we strengthen the muscles around joints we’re more likely to feel less pain. Don’t forget we’re not just meat and bone, we’re also human beings. Sharing time with other people is helpful to your frame of mind, and also to your nervous system, because if you’re doing something enjoyable you’ll feel less pain. Walking’s important whether you’ve got arthritis or not, says David: “The act of walking is fundamentally good for us as human beings. It’s good for hip, knee, ankle mobility and balance. “Unless you’ve had a historic injury by fall or accident, it’s still quite mysterious as to why some people get arthritis while others don’t,” explains Vaux. “If you’re unlucky enough to develop it, you’ll be far better placed having had a strong history of walking – you’ll have fewer detrimental effects.”
Arthritis in numbers
10 million
The number of people in the UK with arthritis or similar conditions that affect the joints
9 million
The number of those with osteoarthritis, the most
common type
Mid-40s
The time in your life when arthritis most often develops
40%
The amount adults with arthritis can decrease pain and improve function by being physically active, according to US health bodies
‘I thought my doctor was crackers!’
Jan Oakes: ‘When I was told I have early stages of arthritis in my hip six years ago, my doctor told me to walk more and I thought he was crackers. To my mind it’s wear and tear, and the more I walk the worse it’s going to get. But he was right and I was very wrong. It takes a while sometimes to get going, but once I’m moving it’s no bother at all.’
‘Walking keeps me going’
After being told she’ll be in a wheelchair in her 30s, 55-year-old Kathy Cox uses daily walks to help her defy medicine.
‘I’d just qualified as a nurse when a car accident left me struggling to walk, sit or stand, and my mobility was gradually decreasing. It was another 18 months before I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, where the spine and other areas become inflamed.
‘My consultant told me, “You will probably never walk properly, you’ll need your hips replacing and likely end up in a wheelchair by your mid-30s.” I turned to my mum and said: “I’ll prove him wrong.”
‘For years I lived with the belief that walking any distance could make my condition worse. Then my GP told me I was pre-diabetic. I made the decision to lose 50lbs by my 50th birthday less than eight months away and started with a 20-minute walk before I was tired. Within what a few days I was walking three miles, then five, the end of the road became the head of the bay. Now I can walk 1000 miles, and once even walked 144 miles in 11 days.
‘My rheumatologist says I defy medicine; I plan to continue. It’s a tough gig, but I persevere because I know walking is what keeps me going physically and mentally.’
‘Without #walk1000miles I’d have given up’
Anne Goulding Colbeck: ‘Nine years ago I was told I would have to give up walking as I had severe osteoarthritis in my left knee. The pain left me crippled, miserable and reliant on pills and crutches. Four years later I had a partial knee replacement and was told my hiking days were over. In despair I sold all my gear.
‘But I woke one morning and thought: “I’m not a quitter!” So I pushed myself, walking a little further month by month. Then I found #walk1000miles on Facebook – an amazing group that gets you through when you’re feeling down. Now I just love being out in the hills and I even walked a marathon!’
‘Walking has always helped’
Don Lane: ‘I’ve had arthritis for over 10 years and walking has allowed me to put off having a knee replacement for a decade. It helped keep the joint moving and the muscle supportive. Now I’ve finally had the replacement, walking has formed part of my rehab and getting out has made me realise a new knee has been a step forward, not back. The walking is already less painful than it was pre-op.’
