Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Arthritis

Q: I'm having difficulty managing at work with my arthritis. I feel so tired all the time and by the end of the day my whole body aches, particularly hands. Do you have any suggestions which would make it easier for me to continue to work without increasing my pain and fatigue?

A: Here are some tips that may make work easier for you:

1) Pacing

• Take care of essential tasks when you have the most energy; by being flexible and creative, you can help balance your work responsibilities with the demands of your disease. Try to figure out your energy patterns throughout the day as well as what activities aggravate your pain and fatigue, and what you are able to manage within your limits.
• Vary your activities such as sitting and standing, repetitive activities and walking.
• Know your limits and try not to overdo it.
• Take your scheduled breaks (lunch as well as morning and afternoon) and do not eat your lunch at your desk.
• Prioritize your work projects so that most important thinks get done.
• Maintain a schedule and try to stay on a regular routine.

2) Proper Body mechanics

• Make sure that you are using proper methods for bending, lifting, reaching, sitting, and standing.
• Avoid staying in one position for long periods of time - keeping joints in the same position may increase stiffness and pain.

3) Assistive Devices

• The use of assistive devices may help improve the ease of undertaking activities at work.
• Some examples are; using a built-up pen for writing, a head-set if talking on the phone for long periods of time, and a wrist splint for a sore and/or inflamed wrist.
• Speak to your Occupational Therapist about assistive devices that may work for you.

4) Exercise Regularly

• Exercise can improve your overall health and fitness and help to decrease your arthritis symptoms at work.
• Your exercise program should include range of motion exercises to keep your joints moving, cardio/endurance exercise to strengthen your heart, and strengthening exercises to help your muscles stay strong to support your joints.
• Speak to you physiotherapist about setting up an exercise program for you.
• Stretching exercises can be incorporated into your day as well.

5) Ergonomics

• Organize your work area and limit the need to lift, carry, reach, and walk too much.
• Make sure that if you use a computer you are ergonomically set-up. There are several organizations that can assess your workstation, including The Arthritis Society.
• Some good websites to check out re: computer ergonomics are:
  www.ergonomics.ucla.edu/
  www.3m.com/cws/selfhelp/
  You can also see our Ergonomic Computer Station Checklist to see if you are set up properly at your workstation.

6) Sleep

• Sleep helps to restore your energy so that you can better manage your pain throughout the day at work and to help fight off fatigue.
• Tips to help you get to sleep at night are:
  • take a warm bath before going to bed
  • listen to soothing music
  • read a relaxing novel
  • establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
  • avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially late in the day
  • do moderate exercise on a regular routine, but avoid right before going to bed.
  • avoid taking sleeping pills unless your doctor recommends them

7) Proper Footwear

• Wearing proper footwear at work can help to decrease your foot, knee, lower back, and hip pain as well as give you more endurance for standing and walking.
• Your footwear should have a strong, but flexible sole as well as be a lace-up shoe with a heel no higher than 1 inch and have a firm heel counter.
• Please refer to our Footwear Checklist which list proper footwear qualities.
• If you have concerns about proper footwear for you, please speak to your Occupational Therapist.

8) Ice / Heat

• The use of ice or heat may be beneficial in your breaks at work.
• If you have a hot, red, and inflamed joint you may benefit from ice as it will numb the sore area and reduce inflammation. A frozen bag of peas works well.
• If you feel stiff and have an achy pain feeling you may benefit from the use of heat - heat relaxes your muscles and stimulates blood circulation.
• Using paraffin hot wax or the hot oil and glove routine before going to work may help to limber up your hands before you go to work as it will limber up your hands and wrists
• Please refer to Instructions for Hot Oil and Glove Routine. Do not attempt to use heat if you have hot and swollen joints as well as circulatory or sensory problems.

9) Deep Breathing/Relaxation

• Pain and stress have similar effects on you body as muscles tighten, breathing becomes fast and shallow and your heart rate and blood pressure go up. Relaxation can help to reverse these effects and give you a sense of control and well-being which makes managing pain easier.
• Try your progressive muscle relaxation and/or guided imagery on your lunch break or before or after work.
• Use deep breathing at work to help you to relax and keep you from tensing up.

10) Communication

• Be honest with your co-workers and your boss about your arthritis.
• Let them know your full capacity and your eagerness to work, but also let them know when you are not feeling well.
• Explain that there are good days and bad days and that much of the time you have no control over when you are going to have a good day or a bad day.
• On bad days, ask for help when you need it and do only what you can tolerate without exacerbating your pain.

11) Be Positive

• Arthritis may limit things you can do, but it doesn't have to control your life.
• Build your life around wellness, not sickness or pain.
• Practice positive self talk; what we say to ourselves often determines what we do and how we look at life.
• Negative messages can lead to increased pain, while positive messages can help you to distract from pain.

12) Take you medications wisely

• Take your medications as prescribed by your doctor. If you have any concerns/questions about your medications arrange to see the doctor who prescribed your medication
  
• Also note that working may be very difficult in your situation and if you continue to have problems at work, speak with your doctor.

Q: What do I tell the people I work with about my condition? I am really tired of co-workers telling me "you don't look sick". This is really hard at work when some days my joints are so stiff and I am really struggling to keep up. I feel really alone and misunderstood but I know it can be confusing for my work colleagues.
Yours is a very important question considering the number of hours in a day we spend in the workplace. When it comes to co-workers and bosses, it is very important that you be honest with them about your arthritis. It is helpful if they know of your eagerness to work and what "strategies" you'll be using to cope with such symptoms as stiffness and fatigue. It is also helpful to let your colleagues know that you will tell them when you are not feeling well and that part of arthritis is that you can have good days and bad days and that you don't usually have control over when you will have a good or bad day. Discuss with them what you might need help with on bad days and on those bad days, ask for the help they have agreed to provide you with. In most situations, people respond in helpful ways when they know what is going on and there is a plan in place.

Q: I have been having a lot of difficulty at work and would like a workplace assessment. What should I do?
There are various organizations which do workplace assessments. As you have arthritis it would be advised that you go through the Arthritis Society for your workplace assessments. You can self-refer yourself to the Arthritis Society by calling 646-6309 (in London) or by calling 1-800-321-1433.