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WHAT
IS JOINT PROTECTION
Occupational therapists
recommend that people with arthritis use joint protection principles
in their daily activities.
What
is it?
- Joint
Protection means using your joints wisely-being as active as possible
with the least amount of stress on joints.
- The
goal of using Joint Protection is to reduce stress and pain in your
joints, and consequently to reduce swelling and preserve joint structures.
- Joint
Protection techniques may help you manage your arthritis, especially
when your joints are swollen, painful, or stiff.
Eight
Principles of Joint Protection:
-
Respect
Pain
Persons with inflammatory arthritis need to respect pain and to
recognize when it is causing harm to their joints. Pain should not
be ignored as it can lead to further damage and discomfort. Remember
that discomfort is common in arthritis, but increased pain is a
warning to take it easier on your joints. Learn how much activity
you can tolerate and do not push yourself beyond this limit. Time
or effort spent on an activity should be reduced if pain occurs
and lasts more than one hour after stopping the activity.
-
Maintain
Joint Mobility
Keeping your joints moving helps to keep your joints healthy. Joint
range of motion (ROM) should be done on a regular basis. Maintaining
your ROM is important so that a loss of movement at one joint will
not increase strain on another.
- Use
Correct Patterns of Movement
This principle of joint protection means being gentle on your gentle
on your joints by avoiding positions that place stress on your joints.
Hands are commonly affected by arthritis and they are repeatedly stressed
during daily activities. Being gentle on your joints decreases excessive
stretch on joint ligaments and allows you to use your muscles properly.
Keep your joints moving in their "normal" directions. The
best grip for the hands is straight across the palm.
Protect your hand joints by using your palm when possible and try
to AVOID:
- Positions
which force your fingers toward the little finger side of your
hand (ulnar drift)
- Using
a strong forceful grip and pinch (relax your hold and pinch)
- Resting
your chin on the side of your fingers
- Getting
up from a chair using your knuckles or fingers (use your palm)
- Pulling
objects when you can push them
- Wringing
out a dishcloth - instead hang it over a faucet and press water
out with palms
- Tightly
gripping a cloth - Use a sponge with your hand flat
- Gripping
a book for a long time - Place it on a pillow or the table or
use a book holder
- AVOID
HOLDING ONE POSITION FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME
Muscles become tired when used for long periods of time and thus transfer
stress to ligaments and joints. Tired muscles and ligaments cannot
support a joint properly. Additionally, staying in one position for
a long time causes stiffness. Changing positions often helps to avoid
prolonged stress to joint structures. Some Examples are as Follows:
- When
writing, stop, relax, and move your fingers every 5-10 minutes.
- When
talking on the phone change hands often.
- Alternate
between sitting and standing frequently as sitting longer than 20-30
minutes promotes stiffness.
-
Use
the Largest/Strongest Joints
Large joints can tolerate more stress than smaller ones. Examples
are as follows:
- Use
your hips or elbows to open doors
- Use
forearms and palms to carry groceries and purses
- Use
palms rather than fingers to lift, push, or take weight
- Use
two hands whenever possible to help distribute weight and increase
stability
- Avoid
Starting an Activity that Cannot be Stopped Immediately
This principle is important as you need to be able to stop an
activity if pain increases. Continuing a task in the presence of sudden
severe pain is likely to cause joint damage. Tired muscles will transfer
stress to ligaments and joint structures which can lead to joint instability.
Examples are as follows:
- Use
a cart on wheels to transport heavy, breakable, or hot items.
- Walk
a long distance only if there are seats available to take a rest.
- Carry
a heavy package only if there is a place to rest it if it gets
too heavy.
- Balance
Rest and Activity
Find your own personal balance between rest and activity. The appropriate
use of rest during daily activities may be your most effective weapon
against the demands of your arthritis. Many individuals with inflammatory
diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, require 10-12 hours of sleep
in a 24 hour period (often including a 1 to 2 hour nap in the afternoon).
- Use
Necessary Assistive Devices
Not everyone needs to use aids, but they can be especially helpful
during a flare-up of your disease, or if an activity is painful, tiring,
or difficult to perform. The wise use of aids can help you to maintain
your independence and should not be considered as "giving in"
to your arthritis. There are many assistive devices which may help
you such as:
- Book/card
holder, tap turner, elastic shoe laces, jar opener
- long-handed
bath sponge, shoe horn, reacher
- Built-up
handles for pens, utensils, keys, toothbrush
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