Smoking Remains a Major Driver of Rheumatoid Arthritis Burden Worldwide

From ajmc.com

Key Takeaways

• The global burden of smoking-attributable RA has increased in absolute numbers despite relative declines in age-standardized rates.
• Regional disparities exist, with significant declines in the Americas and Europe, but increases in Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Men, especially older men, experience higher smoking-attributable RA mortality and disability, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
• Socioeconomic factors influence smoking prevalence, with high-income regions showing sharper declines due to stricter public health policies.

The global burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) linked to smoking has declined in relative terms but continues to rise in absolute numbers, according to findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study published in PLoS One, which highlighted persistent disparities between regions, age groups, and sexes.

Researchers analysed RA burden attributable to smoking across 204 countries between 1990 and 2021. Indicators included deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs).

While age-standardized rates of smoking-attributable RA burden declined over 3 decades, the absolute global number of deaths rose from 1792 to 2264, and DALYs increased from 145,727 to 215,780. Additionally, nearly 6% of age-standardized deaths and 7% of DALYs were attributable to smoking in 2021, underscoring its impact on RA.

“These findings further underscore the need for more targeted tobacco control policies and RA health management strategies that are sensitive to both regional context and sex-specific smoking patterns and healthcare access,” the authors said.

             Declines in smoking-attributable RA burden varied widely across regions. | Image credit: methaphum – stock.adobe.com

Burden Varies by Region

Age-standardized declines in smoking-attributable RA burden varied widely across regions. The Americas experienced the largest reduction in DALYs (–62.1%) with an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of –1.78; Europe saw a similar reduction in DALYs but a slower EAPC of –0.54. The Americas also saw the most significant improvement in YLD rates with a decline of –66.45% and an EAPC of –1.81, while the Western Pacific saw the least improvement at –29.62% and an EAPC of –0.58.

Over 30 years, YLLs decreased most notably in the African region with a percentage change of –16.55% and EAPC of –2.43. The smallest YLL reduction was measured in the Western Pacific region; despite a percentage change of –57.52%, the region’s EAPC was only –0.02. Africa also saw the most substantial drop in mortality rates (–50.9%; EAPC, –2.54), followed by the Americas. Southeast Asia was the only one of the 6 regions to see a percentage increase in deaths, climbing by nearly 10%, but the area still had a negative EAPC.

In contrast, Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean recorded increases in several burden metrics, with DALYs rising more than 40% and 50%, respectively. Southeast Asia also saw a 44% increase in YLDs, while YLLs increased by 16.55% in Africa and 44.34% in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In 2021, the highest smoking-attributable death and DALY rates were concentrated in Eastern Europe, East Asia, and parts of South America, where smoking prevalence remains high, according to researchers. In some Eastern European countries, smoking rates approached 40%, compared with below 10% in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sociodemographic Impact

From 2000 to 2021, global smoking prevalence declined, but progress varied widely across income levels. In high-income regions, smoking rates fell sharply from about 35% in 2000 to 15% in 2021. Tobacco use rates followed a similar pattern, dropping from roughly 45% to 20% during the same period. In contrast, low- and middle-income regions saw more modest reductions, with smoking rates declining only slightly, from around 25% to 20%. In low-income regions, progress was less pronounced, as tobacco use hovered around 35%.

“These patterns can be attributed to strict public health policies in high-income regions, such as smoking bans and health education campaigns, while weaker tobacco control measures and cultural influences likely contributed to the slower or stagnant decline in low- and middle-income regions,” the authors wrote.

In the US, while cigarette smoking has declined overall from 2011 to 2020, significant racial and ethnic disparities remain. Previous research showed steady decreases among non-Hispanic White, Black, and Hispanic adults, but the prevalence in non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native adults remained near 37% with rising population estimates. Researchers emphasized that structural and sociocultural factors, along with inequitable implementation of tobacco control policies, contribute to these disparities.

Older Men Carry Greatest Burden

Age and sex also played roles in shaping risk. Men consistently showed higher smoking-attributable RA mortality and YLLs than women, reflecting historically higher smoking prevalence. Deaths were particularly high in individuals 85 years and older, again impacting men more than women across all age groups, underscoring the cumulative effect of long-term tobacco exposure.

DALYs peaked between ages 50 and 80, with men in their early 70s recording 4.5 DALYs per 100,000 compared with 3 per 100,000 for women. Disability burden was greatest in those aged 50 to 74 years, with YLDs at 3.5 per 100,000 for men and 2.5 for women in those aged 65 to 69. YLLs also underscored a stronger effect of premature mortality in men, with rates of 1.2 per 100,000 among those 75 and older compared with 0.6 for women.

“Tobacco control efforts should therefore particularly target middle-aged males to prevent future burden, while health systems need to strengthen RA treatment and comprehensive health management, including comorbidity care, in older populations,” the authors said.

https://www.ajmc.com/view/smoking-remains-a-major-driver-of-rheumatoid-arthritis-burden-worldwide

Natural Remedies for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Migraine and Eczema: What Works

From healthcentral.com

Do natural remedies really work—or is it all hype? We dig into the science 

From curcumin capsules to holistic therapies like acupuncture, “natural” remedies are often marketed as safer, gentler alternatives to prescription medications. But when it comes to managing chronic conditions—like rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, or migraine—do these treatments actually move the needle and provide relief from long-lasting symptoms? As you might expect, the answer to this question isn’t all that simple.

To find out how well natural treatments actually work for chronic conditions, we reached out to board-certified physicians and did a deep dive into the research. Here’s what you need to know about when natural remedies might help with chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, and eczema, when they won’t, and how to evaluate what’s worth trying.

The short answer: For various chronic conditions, some natural remedies can be effective when used alongside more standard treatments like medication.

And the longer one: Natural remedies can offer symptom relief for people with chronic conditions like eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and migraine, but they’re generally best used alongside conventional treatments for those conditions, not as a replacement for them.

“In mild cases [of skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis], they may help reduce the frequency or intensity of flares, possibly allowing for lower doses of medications,” says Noah Gratch, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. “However, they are rarely effective enough to replace prescription therapies, especially in moderate to severe disease. The goal should be integration, not substitution.”

The Research

When it comes to natural remedies, the evidence is mixed. Some treatments are supported by clinical studies. Others lack strong data or show inconsistent results. And according to Dr. Gratch, much of the research on natural therapies is limited by small study sizes, inconsistent product quality, or short follow-up periods, which makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Still, experts agree that while most remedies aren’t strong enough to replace prescription care, some can play a useful role when used alongside conventional treatments.

                                                                                   GettyImages/yokeetod

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and swelling. Some alternative treatments like omega-3 fatty acids may offer temporary relief from uncomfortable RA symptoms, but there isn’t much evidence that any natural treatments will offer widespread, long-term relief or stop the progression of the condition when used on their own.

“RA is a very powerful, damaging, destructive disease,” says Norman B. Gaylis, M.D., a rheumatologist in Aventura, FL, and a board member for the American College of Rheumatology. “Most natural supplements will cause no harm, but numerous studies have shown that on their own they are not effective or powerful enough to change the course of the disease.”

With that, research into natural remedies for RA is ongoing. Here are some of the more promising findings:

• Acupuncture: There isn’t a ton of strong, high-quality evidence showing that acupuncture—a practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to help relieve different ailments—improves RA symptoms long-term. However, some people with RA report short-term relief of pain and stiffness. One study in particular found that acupuncture is most effective when used in combination with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). “Used in conjunction with other treatments, it can offer short-term relief from RA symptoms,” Dr. Gaylis says.

• Curcumin: Research indicates that high-quality curcumin supplements (the main active compound in turmeric) may relieve RA symptoms due to curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties. The Arthritis Foundation recommends taking 500 milligrams (mg) of high-quality curcumin twice a day among people with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Some people with RA report that they feel better when taking supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids, and there’s research to back this up. A systematic review of more than 70 studies found that people with RA who took fish oil supplements rich in omega-3s experienced less pain and morning stiffness and reduced disease activity. They also responded better to DMARDs and had a higher rate of remission. “Omega-3 fatty acids offer a lot of health benefits such as promoting lipid metabolism, protecting cartilage, promoting mobility, and reducing inflammation,” Dr. Gaylis says. “I often encourage patients to try them in addition to traditional therapies.”

And here’s what does not work when it comes to RA and natural remedies: using natural remedies as standalone treatment.

“Natural remedies are not effective when used alone without conventional medications and treatments,” Dr. Gaylis says. “They may offer some short-term relief, but it is never enough to affect the course of the disease.”

While curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, mind-body therapies, and other natural remedies may offer symptom relief, they’re no replacement for rheumatoid arthritis treatments prescribed by your doctor, note our experts.

“People can fall for advertisements about how a new remedy will dramatically improve their quality of life or even reverse RA,” Dr. Gaylis says. “From a scientific point of view, no remedies have proven to be beneficial and nothing has been shown to be effective when using natural remedies as the only resource for treatment.”

Migraine

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder, and migraine treatment tends to be equally complex and layered. Rarely is any one supplement or treatment a miracle cure. Still, natural remedies like acupuncture and biofeedback are a common component of many migraine treatment and prevention strategies.

“In some patients, strong preventive measures—magnesium, riboflavin, and lifestyle changes—reduce or even replace the need for prescription meds,” says Doug Strobel, M.D., a board-certified neurologist in Carmel, IN. “More often, they’re used alongside medications to help reduce dosing, improve migraine control, and support brain health between attacks.”

These are the most promising natural remedies for migraine relief:

• Acupuncture: A study published in the journal BMJ found that acupuncture alongside other forms of migraine care is effective in preventing migraine.

• Lifestyle changes: Regular exercise, quality sleep, and good sleep hygiene are underrated migraine medicine, Dr. Strobel says.

• Magnesium: Magnesium supplements or intravenous magnesium may help prevent migraine by regulating nerve function and supporting blood vessel health, research shows. This may be most effective for people who have experienced migraine with aura. While some people use topical magnesium, there isn’t a lot of strong scientific evidence that it prevents or stops migraines.

• Mind-body practices: Research suggests that practices like yoga, meditation, and biofeedback may lower stress reactivity and reduce migraine frequency and duration, Dr. Strobel says. Still, more research is needed to better understand the impact of relaxation techniques and other mind-body practices on people with migraine.

• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Taking 400 mg of vitamin B2 each day is a safe and effective tool for migraine prevention, Dr. Strobel says.

Some natural remedies for migraine can cause medication interactions and other safety issues and are best left untouched. For example:

• Butterbur and feverfew: Despite the popularity of butterbur and feverfew, two herbs used for migraine treatment and prevention, studies show mixed results and more high-quality research is needed to support their efficacy. “Butterbur also contains a natural toxin unless specially processed, which isn’t always guaranteed,” Dr. Strobel says.

• High-dose caffeine: Small amounts of caffeine can sometimes help ease the effects of a migraine. But large amounts of caffeine can be more problematic, sometimes even triggering migraine attacks or putting people at risk of rebound headaches. Caffeine can also intensify the side effects when paired with some migraine treatments, Dr. Strobel says.

• Kava and valerian root: If you’re taking certain sleep or anxiety medicines, both of these supplements should be avoided given that they can amplify the sedative effects, Dr. Strobel says.

• St. John’s Wort: This herbal supplement is best to avoid, as it can speed up how the liver processes some specific migraine drugs, including triptans, making them less effective.

• Supplements with unclear ingredients: If you’re unsure what ingredients are in a supplement, you may want to avoid it. As a general rule, Dr. Strobel suggests steering clear of “mystery supplements” from questionable sources.

Eczema 

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry, itchy, and inflamed patches. While prescription treatments like corticosteroids and moisturizers are common, natural remedies like oatmeal baths and coconut oil can be effective in relieving itching, soothing irritated skin, and supporting the skin barrier. But while they may work as a complementary treatment, especially for mild symptoms, these natural remedies often don’t address the underlying immune dysfunction that may be contributing to the skin condition. For this reason, they’re usually most effective when used in conjunction with prescription treatments.

“They typically cannot replace prescription treatments in moderate to severe disease,” says Shoshana Marmon, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor in the department of dermatology at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.

If you’re looking to complement your prescription eczema treatments with something more natural, experts suggest trying these:

• Colloidal oatmeal: There is strong research supporting the use of colloidal oatmeal baths and creams for reducing eczema-related itching and inflammation, due to colloidal oatmeal’s anti-inflammatory effects and ability to support the skin-barrier.

• Coconut oil: Coconut oil contains antimicrobial properties and may help moisturize dry, cracked skin and reduce inflammation among some people with mild eczema. Cold-pressed coconut oil and virgin coconut oil are the best types to use.

• Light therapy (phototherapy): Research shows that controlled light therapy can help with eczema symptoms, especially those that don’t respond to topical treatments. However, there is a potential downside—regular sunlight exposure can cause premature skin aging and other types of skin damage.

• Topical sunflower seed oil: Research shows that sunflower seed oil may support skin barrier function, hydrate the skin, and reduce itching, helping soothe eczema symptoms.

On the flip side, these are some of the natural remedies that haven’t been scientifically proven to provide eczema symptom relief:

• Apple cider vinegar soaks: Evidence for apple cider vinegar as an eczema treatment is very limited, says Dr. Marmon. Soaking in apple cider vinegar—particularly if it hasn’t been sufficiently diluted—can also disrupt the skin barrier and irritate the skin, especially among people with sensitive or inflamed skin.

• Elimination diets: Broad elimination diets generally aren’t recommended unless a specific food allergy is confirmed, Dr. Marmon says.

• Undiluted essential oils: Tea tree, lavender, and other essential oils can cause allergic or irritant dermatitis and shouldn’t be used on inflamed skin, Dr. Marmon says. Similar to apple cider vinegar, these can disrupt the skin barrier, cause allergic reactions, or even worsen eczema symptoms, Dr. Gratch says.

Ultimately, “using harsh or irritating topicals may worsen symptoms and reduce the efficacy of prescribed treatments,” Dr. Gratch says. “It’s essential to disclose any supplements or topical products to your dermatologist to avoid interactions.”

How Do You Know If a Natural Treatment Is Legit?

If you’re interested in trying a natural remedy for your chronic condition, start by speaking with your doctor. They’ll be able to help evaluate if the treatment is worth trying.

If a social media post piques your interest in exploring a specific natural remedy, consider doing some research to see if any peer-reviewed studies support the efficacy of that treatment. This will help you determine if there’s any trustworthy evidence that the treatment actually works.

Experts also recommend keeping an eye out for potentially deceptive marketing terms like “works for everyone” or “the treatment doctors or pharma don’t want you to know about.” These kinds of phrases can’t always be trusted and should be interpreted as speculation.

Should You Try Natural Remedies for Your Chronic Condition?

Some natural remedies can be effective in minimizing the symptoms of chronic conditions like eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and migraine. But “natural remedy” is a broad, catch-all term that doesn’t mean all that much on its own.

“Even natural ingredients can be harmful if misused or applied too frequently,” says Dr. Gratch.

Whether or not a natural remedy might be helpful depends on many different factors, including your health, what chronic condition you have, and what prescription treatments you’ve tried or are currently taking. Before starting any new treatment—even if it’s a “natural remedy” and seemingly harmless, it’s important to consult with a board-certified physician.

https://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-health/natural-remedies

This Treatment Could Help Relieve Your Arthritis Pain Without Any Medication

From healthdigest.com

If you're one of the more than 54 million Americans living with arthritis pain (per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), you know how much it can impact your daily life. Arthritis isn't just a little joint soreness after a tough workout (here's how to tell if there's more to your joint pains than you initially thought). It's a condition that can affect mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. Of the more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common. Osteoarthritis not only wears down the cartilage in a joint but also affects the bone and connective tissue around it, making movement painful and stiff.

Many people with osteoarthritis turn to over-the-counter or prescription medications to manage their symptoms, but new research suggests there may be another option. A 2025 study in The Lancet Rheumatology found that retraining the way you walk could help reduce knee pain from osteoarthritis. With guidance from a physical therapist (or at least someone trained to observe your stride), even a small adjustment to your foot angle might lower pain, reduce stress on the joint, and potentially protect the cartilage from further damage.

Changing the angle of your foot in your walking stride can reduce osteoarthritis pain

                                                                                                   Carlos Barquero/Getty Images

Osteoarthritis might stem from an old sports injury, like a torn ACL, or from years of physically demanding work in jobs such as farming or construction. It can also be linked to factors like obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, or even an unhealthy diet. Whatever the cause, osteoarthritis pain can affect how you move. For example, osteoarthritis knee pain often changes the way you walk without you even realizing it.

At the start of the study, researchers had participants with knee osteoarthritis walk on a treadmill so they could analyse their gait, or walking mechanics. Each person also underwent an MRI to measure cartilage damage. Based on the gait analysis, some participants were instructed to slightly adjust their foot angle — either outward or inward — to see which position best reduced stress on the knee. A control group, on the other hand, was told to keep walking as they normally would.

Those who practiced the foot-angle adjustment did so in the lab for six weeks, long enough for the change to start feeling natural. After a year, this group reported pain relief on par with taking a pain reliever. One participant shared their excitement that the improvement came without relying on drugs or devices. "It's just a part of my body now that will be with me for the rest of my days, so I'm thrilled with it," the participant said in a news release.

https://www.healthdigest.com/665561/things-your-doctor-wants-you-to-stop-doing/

Signs of Arthritis In Your 20s and 30s: Is Your Workout Damaging Your Joints? Never Ignore These Warning Symptoms

From thehealthsite.com

Signs of arthritis can appear in your 20s and 30s: Here are some of the warning symptoms that your body may give you when your workout is indirectly hurting your joints, and leading to the onset of arthritis

Over the past several years, gym culture has become synonymous with urban living, and many young adults are beginning to emphasize strength training, weight training and high-endurance style workouts with a focus on high momentum. While engagement in movement is incredibly important when maintaining healthy bones and joints, motivation for consistency and intensity of exercise can only be positive when within reason; however, this consumption of the feeling of accomplishment can backfire!

Joints and bones can become overloaded when a person who, traditionally is in their 20s or 30s, exercise beyond their threshold and leads to what experts refer to as, "bone burnout." While there isn't a formal diagnosis for bone burnout, bone burnout is the accelerated wear and tear of bone and joints symmetrically, which induces continued joint problems of debilitating pain, stiffness and even early-onset arthritis.

Why Are Young Adults Prone to Bone Burnout?

Young adults often stress their bones and joints harder than older adults often without realizing the long-lasting effects this will have on their joints. Young adults typically spend an excessive amount of time weight training, not warmed up, demonstrating abnormal postural patterns, ignoring early signs of cartilage degradation like knee pain or back pain can compromise cartilage at a faster than normal rate akin to the European elite athlete populations, such as meniscus tears at a rapid and alarming rate, like 20-30 year olds may have premature arthritis like osteoarthritis.

The Significance of Innovation in Treatment

Lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, and preventative care are the first line of management for severe cases, but there are disruptive innovations that are changing treatment options for serious cases. Robotic-assisted surgery for knee surgeries is one innovation that can provide results that have much greater accuracy, smaller incisions and faster recovery times than traditional surgery. For younger patients with isolated disease, partial knee replacement or joint resurfacing can provide pain relief and mobility while removing less of the natural joint, which can provide years before total knee replacement is required.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

Fortunately, bone burnout is preventable. Engaging in a balanced exercise schedule including strength, flexibility, and rest; wearing appropriate footwear; adequate calcium and vitamin D; and being responsive to your body's warning signs can all help. When pain persists, it is important to get an early consult with a knowledgeable orthopaedic specialist for a definitive diagnosis instead of masking symptoms with pain medication.

Growth is happening in a younger population as fitness becomes a larger part of their lifestyle, so awareness of bone and joint health must be considered. Overtraining without oversight is and will always be a potential injury/path to irreversible damage. The good news is without old age or degenerative changes we have treatments such as preventative care, advances with robotic surgery, and partial replacements that will allow us to help even if our young patients won't lose their active lifestyles and mobility, quality of life, and not be left with long-term repercussions after surgery.

https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/signs-of-arthritis-in-your-20s-and-30s-is-your-workout-damaging-your-joints-never-ignore-these-warning-symptoms-1254231/

An expert guide to gardening when you have arthritis

From independent.co.uk

The experts offer the following tips on how best to garden if you suffer from arthritis 

More than 10 million people across the UK, young and old, live with some form of arthritis, a condition that profoundly impacts daily life, including the simple pleasure of gardening. Yet, practical approaches can significantly alleviate pain and discomfort, helping to reduce aching joints when undertaking basic tasks in outdoor spaces.

“Pacing, posture and positioning are key,” says Damien Newman, training, education and consultancy manager at Thrive, a gardening for health charity which helps improve people’s health through gardening and horticulture.

                                                                                                              (Alamy/PA)

Obviously what you can do in the garden depends on the type and severity of the arthritis, but it is important to keep exercising, says Dr Wendy Holden, medical advisor and honorary consultant rheumatologist at charity Arthritis Action.

“Exercise is not going to cause any harm and that’s an important thing to know. Even if things hurt, it’s not causing damage. You can’t damage your joints by using them.”

Tasks which may be difficult

“If you’ve got stiffness and pain in your hands, things like gripping secateurs are going to be difficult. Potentially, hedge trimming would be difficult and other physical manual dexterity tasks,” Holden explains.

If you have pain in the knees and hips, it’s going to be more difficult to kneel down to do weeding and you’ll need to be careful lifting anything.

The experts offer the following tips on how best to garden if you suffer from arthritis.

Position yourself comfortably

                                                                                                            (Alamy/PA)

“Obviously, if you have arthritis affecting your lower limbs, gardening in a seated or stood position is going to be a lot easier on the joints that are being affected,” says Newman.

“Try to keep your back neutral and work with your limbs at 90-degree angles.”

Don’t overstretch by using long-handled tools which are too long for your body, he says, as overstretching restricts blood flow which can exacerbate symptoms.

Conversely, tall people tend to bend over when using regular-sized rakes and hoes, giving themselves backache, so make sure you obtain one that is right for your height, says Holden.

Think about posture

“I’ve seen so many people who have broken a bone in their back just from lifting a heavy plant pot. You have to be extra careful and just bend from the hips and use your knees to lift and keep the object close to you.”

If picking up items by your fingers is uncomfortable, when carrying lighter equipment such as a seed tray or a piece of turf, rest it on your forearms and hands, keeping your elbows tucked in to reduce strain, Thrive recommends.

Don’t overdo it

“It’s very easy to get caught up in the wonder of the activity and pacing yourself is really important, accepting that it’s ok to do a little bit and then a little bit another day,” says Newman.

“Mowing the lawn might be quite a strenuous activity for somebody with arthritis that’s affecting their knees, hips or ankles. If you’ve a large garden, think, ‘I’ll tackle that over a week’ rather than thinking ‘I have to mow all of the lawn in one go’. It’s about being comfortable and breaking conventions.”

“I often see people who’ve got a lot of thumb pain after they’ve been pruning at the beginning of the year. That can cause a temporary worsening of some pain. My advice is, just don’t do it for too long,” Holden adds.

She suggests people do a variety of jobs during the day, rather than repetitive ones, to work different joints, and try to switch your grip on tools as well.

Use ergonomic tools and good-quality outerwear

Consider adaptive gardening tools, available on sites such as Peta, which have special grips to help people with arthritis, Newman suggests, and also provides handles which you can adapt to standard garden tools.

                                                                                         An ergonomic trowel (Thrive/PA)

Holden adds that wearing gloves probably improves your grip on things and that some people like compression gloves on their joints for comfort.

Don’t wear flimsy flat wellies all day, she continues.

“Either wear flat wellies with lots of socks in them so your feet stay nice and warm, or wellies with insoles to give you lots of nice support if you’re on your feet all day.”

Stay dry

Watch the weather to choose your optimum gardening time, the experts agree. Joints often don’t like being cold and wet, so staying dry is obviously important, as is staying warm and wearing lots of layers, Holden advises.

Think about the cold too, which can exacerbate joint pain, Newman continues.

“Don’t pot-wash in January, do it in a heatwave when everyone’s happy to put their hands in the water,” he advises.

Make your garden lower-maintenance

“Fill your garden with plants that don’t need so much intensive care,” Newman suggests.

“Shrubs and herbaceous plants are much easier to maintain than perennials or vegetables, which need lots of preparation of the ground, mulching and activities which put a fair bit of pressure on our lower limbs, whether it’s pushing wheelbarrows or using long-handled tools.”

Use ground-cover plants so there’s less need to weed or mulch, to give arthritis sufferers an easier life, he says.

If you have a deep border, make a pathway through it so you can access the back more easily, and reduce the size of your lawn if you want to do less mowing.

Raised beds are a good idea to help prevent the need to bend over or kneel down when gardening.

Don’t feel guilty about investing in gizmos which will ease your efforts and help you enjoy your garden, such as robotic lawnmowers and auto-irrigation systems, he adds.

Stretch after gardening

Do some stretches after gardening to alleviate backache. “Lying on your back and pulling your knees up to your chest is good for an aching back,” says Holden. Have a bath to warm up your joints.

If you have osteoarthritis in the base of your thumb and it aches after gardening, you can buy resting thumb splints to wear in the evening for support, she adds.

Enjoy your garden

“Essentially, going and spending a bit of time in the garden is good because it relaxes you. That can be quite valuable for people with arthritis, because being relaxed and less stressed does have a physiological response and reduces the symptoms of pain and arthritis,” says Newman.

“It’s a space to enjoy, where you will do the bits that you want to do and find ways to not do the bits you don’t want to do any more.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/property/gardening/arthritis-gardening-tips-help-cure-b2812382.html