Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) president, Cheryl Koehn, took advantage of last night’s golden opportunity to exercise by swimming as the sun set at Jericho Beach.
Cheryl swears by her regular therapeutic swims after work to help cope with shoulder pains from her rheumatoid arthritis. Also, it helps her to maintain muscle strength in an “arthritis friendly”, non-weight bearing fashion. She has inspired her staff at the ACE office to bike and walk to work.
How are you exercising in the sun? Here are a few more ideas in addition to swimming:
Bicycling
Walking
Playing tennis
Jogging
Running
Pilates
Yoga
Gardening
Try to make exercise a part of your arthritis treatment plan. Depending on your individual arthritis and diagnosis, the above ideas may or may not be suitable for your exercise plan. Please consult with your family doctor before starting a new exercise routine. This June 2011′s issue of JointHealth™ Monthly may help you get started.
I particularly enjoyed a recent post by my French counterpart Nathalie C. about her handbag selection when coping with the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. Nathalie explained how different bags are suitable depending on what particular ache or pain she is experiencing or where she is going (i.e. grocery store or out to a movie).
Everyone knows that women’s handbags are a personal choice. One friend opts for a purse that I have affectionately dubbed “a suitcase”, while another one swears by the messenger bag worn across her body. Don’t even get me started on all the designer bags that my fashionista daughter has collected in a range of colours and sizes (all good borrowing possibilities…). Continue reading →
Meet Janet Yale. She is the president and CEO of The Arthritis Society and the chair of the Arthritis Alliance of Canada. In this video, Ms. Yale discusses the challenges women in the workforce who live arthritis face, especially when they are also wives, mothers, and caregivers.
During a recent six-month checkup at the rheumatologist, I was pleased to see – among the home & garden magazines and discarded newspapers – a tip sheet entitled ‘50 tips to make living with arthritis easier’. Granted it was offered by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, but it is one of the few times that I have seen this type of information sheet offered by my rheumatologist in his waiting room. (His inner offices, on the other hand, appear well-stocked with various pamphlets and brochures from assorted pharma companies!). Continue reading →
Meet Karen Tsui, member of the Consumer Advisory Board of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, and a woman living with undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. In this second interview we did during the 2013 Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting, Johanna Kendall speaks with Karen Tsui, who lives with undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. Here, Karen, talks about the role of pharmacists in the future of arthritis healthcare. Then she speaks about her special concerns as a woman living with arthritis, in particular spondylitis.
Come back to ABN often to watch more interviews, which will be rolled out in the coming days.
Looking for information about ankylosing spondylitis and associated spondyloarthritis diseases including psoriatic arthritis, enteropathic arthritis and reactive arthritis? Visit spondylitis.ca.
Most people take for granted all the things they do every day, like getting dressed, preparing meals, caring for children, driving, typing at a computer, exercising, shopping, and entertaining. People who live with arthritis, however, have to think about whether any of those activities will be too tiring, too difficult, or even impossible to do. Over time you may have come up with your own ways to get around some of your challenges. Recently we asked you to share your living with arthritis tips. Today we present to you with the first one, sent in by Linda. In it, she demonstrates putting on a necklace that has a magnetic clasp. It’s such a simple idea – all necklaces should be made this way!
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Send us your living with arthritis tips
Do you have simple and inexpensive tricks for doing things around the house? Have you found beautiful ways to accessorize your outfits that don’t involve buttons? What do you do everyday to make your life a little easier? Please provide your best tips below in the comments field.
