Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common autoimmune arthritis affecting around 1.3 million individuals in the USA. Even healthy athletes can still experience such conditions, which can greatly inconvenience them in fulfilling their roles.
However, just like with any other medical condition, there are ways you can manage and overcome rheumatoid arthritis and continue doing what you love. Below are five tips to help you address your rheumatoid arthritis and still perform well in your games.
Take Medication
The first thing that will help you as an athlete in dealing with rheumatoid arthritis is to take medication. But first, seeking your physician’s advice before taking any medication, whatever condition you are experiencing, is recommended.
One of the known medications that you can take to help deal with the discomfort of your rheumatoid arthritis is Celecoxib. Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for treating inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis, juvenile and adult rheumatoid arthritis, and pain due to menstruation.
The Price of Celecoxib depends on its dosage, but it can be expensive, especially if you want to purchase the medication with brand names. Discuss this medicine with your physician and ask if it suits you. If not, ask for an alternative that will help ease your pain so you can still participate in the sport you love.
Exercise Regularly
Since you’re an athlete, it’s expected that you are physically active. However, some athletes tend to stop being active and don’t even do slight exercises due to the pain they experience from arthritis.
This is not advisable. Instead, you must continue doing the sports you love as it is one of the ways that can help you manage your condition. Ensure you do exercises between practices and training to ensure your body is continuously active.
Exercising helps reduce the disability you can acquire due to your rheumatoid arthritis, so you must be physically active despite the pain. The medication will help you overcome the pain you’re experiencing and be able to exercise.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Being overweight increases your risk of having rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, it can also worsen your condition. Your weight will put a toll on your joints, making it harder for them to work properly.
Additionally, if you are also overweight, you risk decreasing the effectiveness of the medication you will take for your arthritis. Even if you take some medication to ease the pain, it won’t be less effective if you’re overweight.
Although most athletes give importance to their weight, some might gain additional weight over time which can be problematic in the long run if they are experiencing rheumatoid arthritis. So, whether you are gaining weight or not, you must maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce Stress
The study suggests that one of the biggest known causes of rheumatoid arthritis is stress. In older adults, experiencing new stressors has been shown to cause flare-ups. Managing your stress would significantly help you stay on top of your condition. Avoid things or situations that put you under too much stress.
Try to relax and take a break from your career. Even athletes need time off once in a while to distress. If you haven’t been on vacation for a while and have been focusing on your career, maybe you should consider taking some time off.
Aside from taking a vacation, another thing you can do if going on a vacation isn’t possible is make the most out of your rest days. Whenever there are vacant days where you don’t need to train or have practices, you must focus on activities that promote self-care.
You might also want to try meditation to help decrease the stress level in your body so that you’ll feel better not only with your rheumatoid arthritis problem but your overall well-being.
Seek Help From an Occupational Therapist
Although physical therapists can also help with rheumatoid arthritis problems, it might be more helpful if you seek help from an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist can provide you with a therapy plan specific to your career as an athlete.
Talk about all your concerns with your therapist so they can consider them when creating the therapy plan for you. Although there are ways that you can manage the condition on your own, having a professional who is an expert with such a condition is still recommended.
The therapist knows how to deal with the condition more effectively and safely. They have been working with multiple athletes like yourself who are suffering from the same issue. They have tried many solutions and already know which one works best.
Keep in mind that you can also work with a physical therapist. If you already have one, talk to them about your rheumatoid arthritis and discuss therapy to help you relieve its symptoms.
To Sum It Up
There are ways you can decrease or get rid of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. You shouldn’t live in pain. Try the tips mentioned above to help you manage your condition and continue to be the great athlete that you are.