Tag: Arthralgia

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Following seems to fit the bill.

Achy and sore joints are the hallmarks of osteoarthritis. And one of the most frustrating aspects of the joint pain related to arthritis is when it occurs in the morning. Often, the pain can make it hard just to get out of bed.

On the positive side, morning joint pain related to osteoarthritis doesn’t last long. “The good news is that the amount of morning stiffness with osteoarthritis is less than 5 to 10 minutes as a rule,” says Nathan Wei, MD, clinical director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. And, he adds, the more you move around, the more quickly you’ll loosen up.

Of course, just moving around is easier said than done if you have osteoarthritis. Here are simple strategies that can make your mornings with arthritic joint pain more manageable:

1. Do more the night before. One easy way to simplify your morning routine is to do the heavy lifting before you go to sleep — like packing your briefcase, laying out clothes, setting the coffeemaker, and setting the table for breakfast. “I recommend that all of my patients ready things the night before. I do that myself,” says Robin K. Dore, MD, a rheumatologist and clinical professor of medicine at UCLA. “That way, if they are too stiff in the morning or need to sleep in a little if they had a bad night, there is very little that needs to be done before they can start their activities of daily living.”
2. Try supportive sleep accessories. Lumbar and cervical pillows are the two main supportive devices our experts recommend to banish morning joint pain. “Sleep aids can definitely be helpful by cushioning tender areas and supporting areas that are painful to move if unsupported,” says Dr. Dore. “Be certain to try different cervical pillows before purchasing one, as individual preferences vary.”
3. Perfect your posture. You can avoid a lot of arthritic joint pain in the morning by simply sleeping in the correct position. “The best sleeping posture for an arthritic spine will vary based on the unique aspects of the individual,” says Kirt Kimball, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Orem and Provo, Utah. “As a rule, lying on your side with cervical and slight lumbar support allows one to flex or extend as needed to find that ‘best’ position.”
4. Stretch away the pain. Stretching away arthritic joint pain before you even get out of bed can minimize the pain you experience once you get on your feet. “When doing stretches, it is important to gradually apply stretch rather than bounce against the end point of a particular muscle group,” says Dr. Kimball. “As you attempt to stretch each muscle group, whether it be back, hip, thigh, knee, ankle region, or upper extremity regions, first consider the normal range of motion of that joint. Try to isolate the affected joint such that you are only working one joint at a time, and then take it to the extreme, gradually, and then gently push against that extreme to slowly improve the range of motion. All stretches should be done decisively yet gently and avoiding impact or bounce.”
5. Take your time. With osteoarthritis, it’s often best to work your way up to getting out of bed rather than bounding out of bed immediately in the morning. “Roll to your side; sit up in bed using your arms for support; put your feet on the ground; gently apply force to your feet as you push up on the edge of the bed with your hands,” says Kimball.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/osteoarthritis/ways-to-rise-and-shine-with-osteoarthritis.aspx?xid=aol_eh-arth_2_2011121_&aolcat=AJA&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk2%7C114542

Related articles

• Osteoarthritis (bupa.com.au)
• Arthritis is Australia’s most chronic condition (bupa.com.au)