‘I used cryotherapy to treat my agonising arthritis’

From getthegloss.com

By Emma Elms

When journalist Emma Elms woke up one day with shooting pains in her back, neck and fingers, her biggest fear was not being able to write. After being diagnosed with acute osteoarthritis she found an unexpected way to treat it 

One day I was fine, the next I could barely move. Overnight, I went from being a lively, active 50-year-old to being in agony with shooting pains in my back, neck and shoulders. My GP said it was a muscular strain, while a private physio told me I had sciatica. It turned out both were wrong. A month later, an X-ray revealed that in fact I had acute osteoarthritis of the neck.

Often referred to as ‘wear-and-tear arthritis’, it seems, despite still feeling 21, my age is finally catching up with me. Osteoarthritis (OA) typically occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of the bones gradually wears away, causing bones to rub against each other, leading to pain, stiffness and reduced mobility. So, why me? How did I suddenly end up with an agonising case of OA, seemingly out of the blue? I later discover it’s both my job and my lifestyle that’s to blame – a double-whammy of carelessness on my part.

The pain first appeared after a frantic dash to the theatre, while carrying heavy bags. What really finished my neck off was then spending 10 hours typing at top speed the next day to meet a deadline.

Emma hard at work on her laptop – which is how the trouble started (image: Grace Murray @graceinaaa)

The pain was so bad, it began radiating down my arms to my fingertips, making typing near impossible. I began to panic. It even hurt to WhatsApp my friends.

Over the next few days, I was in such agony, it felt on a par with early labour. At one point, I found myself writhing around on the kitchen sofa at 4am, making strange animal noises to cope.

Desperate to get some sleep, I went back and saw a different GP, who prescribed me three codeine tablets a day to help mask the pain. She also warned me about my poor posture when typing, suggesting I invest in a new height-adjustable desk.

It was fun feeling all floaty on the codeine at first, but then the drugs began to wreak havoc on my mood – sending me on a rollercoaster from high to low. They’re super-addictive too, so I decided to stop taking them.

The chiropractor managed to grant me a couple of hours of pain relief, by manipulating my neck and back. But it was short-lived.

Thinking back to what helped me through labour, I decided to order a mini, adhesive TENS machine. Resembling a thin black butterfly, this nifty device uses gentle electrical impulses to block your body’s pain signals at source. It’s ideal for targeting pain in the neck, back, shoulders and arms, both at home and on the move. I stuck it on the back of my neck and having electrical impulses coursing through me all day did help. Yet still it wasn’t enough to eradicate the pain, plus I couldn’t sleep with it on.

Then I had a brainwave. I’m a regular outdoor swimmer so can handle the cold and when I’d once tried cryotherapy (aka going in a human freezer) in a spa, I loved it. Instinctively, I knew this would help my neck pain. And I’m happy to report… after just five sessions, spread over a fortnight, it worked! By the time I finally found out that I had arthritis, I was back to normal, turbo-typing and happily texting my friends.

What is whole-body cryotherapy?

I tried whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) where you climb inside a special cryo chamber for 2-4 minutes, exposing your body to sub-zero temperatures, minus 87 degrees in my case. Once the preserve of elite athletes and fancy biohacking clinics (often as part of a contrast therapy ‘circuit’ alongside saunas), cryotherapy chambers are increasingly mainstream, popping up in gyms and spas nationwide. Jennifer Aniston and  Mark Wahlberg are both fans and many people use them for recovery, post exercise, as they’re said to help reduce muscle inflammation. (Can’t face the freeze? Cryo beds are a gentler option – check out our review).

During my sessions, I popped some house music on Spotify to get me dancing, others prefer to jog. Either way, you need to keep moving.

I wore shorts and T-shirt, so I could feel the full benefit of the cold, but you also have to don a face mask, gloves, a fleece headband and cosy slippers/boots to keep your extremities warm.

Its multiple health and wellbeing benefits include everything from “reducing joint pain and aiding muscle recovery” to “improving sleep, reducing stress and enhancing your mood”, according to Hannah Furness, a clinical specialist physiotherapist. Yes to all five, in my case…

Baby, it’s cold inside: Emma goes into the cryo chamber (Image: @revitalis_london)

How does cryotherapy help with pain?

“Cryotherapy is an umbrella term meaning ‘cold therapy’ which has been used as a pain management method for thousands of years,” says Furness, founder of StrongerThan Physiotherapy.

“Whole-Body Cryotherapy is used to reduce inflammation and relieve the pain associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis. It helps to suppress and slow down cytokine production – these are the chemical messengers in the body that prompt inflammatory and immune responses,” she explains.

WBC works to ease pain and inflammation in several other ways too: “It reduces the speed of blood flow, so it slows down the speed at which inflammatory cells accumulate,” says Furness. “The cold also helps to reduce swelling, whether applied locally or used as a whole-body treatment, which is why cryotherapy is often useful for acute sporting injuries.”

Is cryotherapy scientifically proven to work?

There is strong evidence suggesting it does help to reduce pain. “A 2016 study in Poland examined 50 people undergoing WBC for hip, knee and lower joint pain and found that 78% of those reported a significant improvement in their perceived pain,” say Furness. “Interestingly, it found there was a reduction in the number of pain medications they needed to take afterwards too.”

A second more recent study, also in Poland, in 2022, looked at 30 people with lower back arthritis, known as lumbar spine osteoarthritis. “They underwent a series of three-minute WBC sessions, also followed by 45 minutes of rehab exercises, and again reported a significant improvement in their pain levels.”

This research examined their blood test results too. “It found in the short-term their cortisol levels had slightly risen, probably because being subjected to extreme cold triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response,” says Furness. “It also slightly raised their endorphin levels [the body’s feel-good hormone].”

What are the other benefits of cryotherapy?

“As well as helping with pain, cryotherapy can enhance your mood, reduce stress and improve your sleep,” says Furness. “Evidence doesn’t currently recommend it for weight loss or to relieve menopause symptoms, such as hot flushes, but research is still ongoing.”

How will you feel after a session of cryotherapy?

I like to warm up immediately afterwards with a cup of tea. For me, the endorphin high lasts for 24 hours after every session. Each time, I felt happy, energised and raring to go afterwards.

Is cryotherapy suitable for everyone?

No, anyone with cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, should avoid it. It’s also not recommended if you’re pregnant, have an active infection, severe anaemia, a history of fainting or a cold sensitivity like Raynaud’s phenomenon (reduced blood flow to extremities).

Bear in mind too that women tend to feel colder more quickly than men, Furness points out. “Our skin reacts more quickly to cold and our body goes into vasoconstriction (the narrowing of blood vessels) more quickly to protect our vital organs, so research suggests a shorter exposure to extreme cold is recommended for women than men.”

A cryotherapy chamber: think adult-sized freezer

How much does cryotherapy cost?

I had cryotherapy in two different places. At The Glass House Spa in Essex it costs £55 for one session, £195 for a block of five treatments or £350 for 10 sessions.

At Revitalis, a recovery and performance clinic in Clapham Junction, South London, it costs £28 for a trial session, then £40 per session, £180 for five sessions, £350 for 10 or £400 for a month of unlimited use.

Cryotherapy for arthritis: my verdict

Four months on, I’m still happily pain-free, with not even a hint of OA. Much to my teen daughters’ alarm, I’ve bought a granny-style shopping trolley which I now wheel everywhere to ensure I don’t strain my neck or back again by carrying heavy bags. I’ve also followed my doctor’s orders and invested in a height-adjustable desk to save my neck.

Cryotherapy had so many benefits for me, especially in terms of boosting my mood, so it’s continued to be a once-a-month treat. No matter how busy I am, as a mum-of-three working full-time, I can always squeeze this in. It only takes a few minutes, after all, and I still buzz for 24 hours afterwards, telling anyone who’ll listen how brilliant it is. Now I’m out of the fog of pain, it seems incredible that for around £200, anyone in the same boat could potentially cure their OA, just like I did. Now that’s got to be a worth a try.

https://www.getthegloss.com/health/cryotherapy-arthritis/

Mother's Day Gift Guide for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

From everydayhealth.com

Moms do a lot (understatement of the year), so when Mother’s Day comes around, it can be tough to choose the perfect gift to express your gratitude. If your mom — or grandma or other mother figure in your life — has rheumatoid arthritis (RA), then choose a thoughtful gift that honours her condition while simultaneously making her life easier.

Finding the right gift for someone with RA can be tricky. First, you should have a good idea of your mom’s relationship with her RA. Is she open about it, sharing when RA is affecting her daily life? Or is she more private, perhaps even keeping her RA diagnosis under wraps?

Someone more open about their condition may be more excited by gifts designed for people with arthritis, like adaptive equipment such as mobility assistive or protective devices. If your mom doesn’t like to talk about her RA, a gift that subtly addresses the challenges she lives with due to RA (like a massage or meal delivery voucher) may be a better choice.

You don’t necessarily want to centre your gift on your mom’s RA on Mother's Day; rather, show her that you notice and care.

Ultimately, you know your mom best. Some prefer pampering, others prefer the practical, and still more want a mix of both. A caring card, flowers, and donation to her favourite charity are always a great place to start. If you want to get more specific to her RA, consider the suggestions below.

1. Jewellery

Jewellery is a wonderful Mother’s Day gift but can present challenges for people with RA. RA is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints, most commonly affecting the small joints in the hands. This can make fine motor tasks like handling jewellery quite difficult.

But that doesn’t mean you have to skip jewellery altogether. “When buying jewellery, look for large or magnetic clasps that don’t require fine pinching,” says Maggie Strode, an occupational therapist and hand therapist who works with people with RA in New York City.

Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings are often better choices than rings. “Rings are tough [for people with RA] because of the swelling that develops in the joints with arthritis,” says Strode.

If your mom particularly loves rings, look for ones that are adjustable in diameter or perhaps can open and close to accommodate fluctuations in finger swelling.

Assistive devices can help with finicky jewellery clasps, too. If you’re giving your mom a non-adaptive piece of jewellery, then adding in one of these devices may mean she gets more use out of your gift.

2. Paraffin Wax Bath

A paraffin wax bath will certainly be appreciated by anyone with RA. This device soothes achy joints in the hands. It is often used during hand therapy sessions for RA, but one can be purchased online and is easy to use and operate at home.

Using a paraffin wax bath involves melting wax capsules and dipping your hands in three to five times, then covering them with a towel and heating pad and resting for 15 to 20 minutes. Exact instructions can vary with the device.

Paraffin wax baths “should not be used by people with a lack of sensation or open wounds,” says Strode. “However, when following the directions, and keeping the bath within 125 to 130 degrees F, they are very soothing.”

Strode also recommends purchasing unscented wax capsules along with the bath, since these are least likely to irritate the skin.

3. Stylish Compression Gloves

Some people with RA may benefit from compression gloves, which are slightly tight gloves that cover the wrists, hands, and fingers but leave the fingertips free for functional activities. “Compression gloves provide warmth and compression that can help manage joint pain and maximize joint mobility,” says Brandy Archie, an occupational therapist and the founder of adaptive equipment resource AskSamie, based in Kansas City, Missouri. People with RA should review the use of compression gloves with their rheumatologist and occupational therapist.

While a lot of compression gloves for arthritis are bulky and clinical looking, Archie notes that you can find sleeker ones in a range of colours — adding a stylish touch to a garment that might otherwise feel like a frustrating reminder of your mom’s RA.

Whether you want to go subtle with skin tones or bright with hot pink or lilac, there are tons of choices.

4. Sun Protection

Your mom might appreciate sun-protective clothing and accessories because people with RA are often more sensitive to the sun. RA itself doesn’t cause sun sensitivity, but some of the medications taken for it can increase photosensitivity.

Clothing like a beach cover-up, loose long shirts and trousers, a sun hoodie, and UV-protected clothing, as well as accessories like a beach umbrella, sun hat, sun gloves, and a luxurious facial sunscreen, are good choices.

5. Loungewear

Beyond sun protection, new clothes in general are a nice gift choice for Mother’s Day.

However, RA can make getting certain clothing on and off challenging. Look for clothes that are easy to put on and take off. For example, skip tops with buttons and tight clothing in favour of loose shifts and open cardigans. “With RA, make sure the clothing is not too restrictive,” says Strode. “Something like linen that is light and generally loose is comfortable.”

If your mom’s been eyeing a special piece of clothing that looks overly complicated to get on and off, then you might consider gifting her some adaptive tools. Devices like button hooks, shoe horns, zipper pulls, magnetic button helpers, shoe buttons (which keep shoelaces in place, preventing the need to retie laces), elastic no-tie shoelaces, and sock aids can make a big difference, so she doesn’t have to sacrifice her fashion sense due to RA.

                                                                                                                           iStock; Adobe Stock

6. Massage or Spa Voucher

A massage is a particularly luxurious gift that many moms with RA will love. And it can be more than simply indulgent; clinical studies have found that various forms of massage — Swedish, aromatherapy, and foot reflexology — can reduce pain, improve joint function, and enhance psychological well-being in people with RA. If you’re hesitant to book something like this for a mom with painful joints, here are some tips.

First, opt for a voucher instead of booking a massage or spa day outright. This gives your mom some agency, as well as the flexibility to book a date that works for both her RA symptoms and her schedule.

If your mom doesn’t already have a go-to massage therapist, then it’s worth doing some research to find one who’s suitable.

Grace Leger, owner and massage therapist at Elite Injury Rehab in Boulder, Colorado, has experience providing massage services for clients with RA. “When researching locations, first call the front desk and ask if any of the therapists have experience with rheumatoid arthritis,” she says. She advises looking for massage therapists who are familiar with myofascial techniques, chronic pain support, lymphatic drainage, lomilomi (a Polynesian kneading massage), and craniosacral therapy (a gentle hands-on method to help release tension in your body’s connective tissue), all of which may help with RA symptoms.

For something cheaper and more accessible than a professional massage, Leger recommends gifting your mom a lacrosse ball. These firm balls can be great for people with RA to perform self-massage, for example, by rolling their hands on a table.

7. Ergonomic Makeup Tools

Moms who are into beauty and makeup will appreciate restocking their go-to products or getting a trendy product that’s new to the market. However, applying makeup can be tough for people with RA. You may have even noticed that your mom uses makeup less frequently, even if she loved it before.

“Makeup is all fine motor work,” says Archie. “You’re gripping tiny tubes, twisting caps, and holding a mascara wand steady.” RA can particularly affect the finger joints, making them swollen, stiff, and painful to move. “The more you bend and hold those joints steady, the more challenging the task. So putting on makeup is a key challenge,” Archie says.

Look for makeup products with ergonomic containers and consider giving your mom assistive devices that make application easier for stiff hands. Tools like wide grips can be added to nail polish bottles, and there are makeup tools that require a lighter grasp for people with RA.

8. Meal Delivery Subscription

Treat your mom to a meal delivery subscription this Mother’s Day. RA can make meal prep tough, not only due to painful joints but because RA can cause fatigue as well.

Some companies send meals that are fully prepped and just need to be reheated. Other companies send easy-to-prep meal kits.

“Look for meal kits that have as many prepared veggies as possible,” says Strode, because this can help avoid joint discomfort from repetitive chopping. You might also want to purchase your mom an ergonomic box cutter so she doesn’t have difficulty opening the shipment.

9. Adaptive Cooking Tools

On the flip side, if your mom is an avid home chef, she may not want to give it up due to her RA. Cooking, however, requires lots of twisting, gripping, lifting, and repetitive movements, and this can feel pretty brutal on inflamed joints. Help her work with her RA, not against it, and give her adaptive cooking tools designed for people with limited hand mobility.

Archie recommends electric jar openers and automatic can openers, which reduce joint strain and the risk of injury. You might also consider an electric peeler, rocker knife (for one-motion cutting), spiked cutting board that holds food in place, or extra lightweight pots and pans.

Other kitchen devices that aren’t necessarily marketed as adaptive can also work. For instance, an Instant Pot or air fryer can cut out time in the kitchen and reduce a recipe's steps.

10. Exercise Class Gift Card

All of us can benefit from exercise, including anyone with RA. However, more intense types of exercise can be painful or lead to symptom flares for some people with RA.

“Gentle movement like yoga, tai chi, and Pilates help maintain joint mobility, reduce stiffness, and build the stabilizing muscles around those vulnerable joints,” says Archie.

A gift voucher to a low-impact exercise class (and perhaps even an IOU to attend the class with your mom if her love language is quality time) can support her health. Look for instructors who understand modifications and arthritis.

The Best Mother’s Day Gift for Someone With RA

“The best gifts for someone with RA solve a daily frustration they’ve been quietly working around,” says Archie. “That’s what makes adaptive tools so meaningful. They say, ‘I see you, and I want your day to feel a little easier.’”

Keep that philosophy in mind, and pay attention to what your mom loves to do and what she has trouble doing, and you’ll be sure to pick a gift she’ll adore.

The Takeaway

• When getting gifts for someone with rheumatoid arthritis, consider how RA affects their daily activities, particularly fine motor tasks involving the hands and fingers, which are the joints most commonly affected by this autoimmune disease.
• Adaptive tools like ergonomic kitchen equipment and jewellery with magnetic clasps can help reduce joint strain and make everyday tasks easier without sacrificing style or independence.
• Gentle, low-impact movement can help maintain joint mobility and reduce stiffness, while paraffin wax baths provide soothing relief for achy hands.
• When selecting a Mother’s Day gift, consider whether your mom is open about RA or prefers subtle support, and opt for items or experiences that address her challenges while catering to her interests.
• 
  
• https://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/mothers-day-gifts/ 

Beyond Inflammation: Scientists Uncover New Cause of Persistent Rheumatoid Arthritis

From scitechdaily.com

Scar-driven changes in joint tissue may underlie treatment resistance in rheumatoid arthritis, opening the door to new targeted therapies.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects millions worldwide, causing persistent joint pain, swelling, and stiffness when the immune system mistakenly attacks the tissue lining the joints.

Over the past two decades, an expanding toolkit of anti-inflammatory and immune-targeting drugs has transformed care, yet a substantial subset of patients still don’t achieve remission, even after trying multiple therapies. For these individuals, ongoing symptoms can be debilitating, and clinicians have limited guidance on what, biologically, is driving the stubborn disease that remains after inflammation is brought under better control.

In a new Nature Immunology paper, Mass General Brigham researchers Kevin Wei, MD, PhD, and Kartik Bhamidipati, PhD, take on that problem by looking beyond broad immune signals and into the architecture of diseased tissue itself. Their team used next-generation mapping tools to see where specific cell types sit, how they interact, and how those relationships shift before and after treatment, capturing the joint microenvironment in unusually high resolution.

Their findings point to a crucial, and potentially targetable, piece of the treatment-resistance puzzle: fibroblasts and scarring pathways that appear to persist even when inflammation is brought under control. By revealing how disrupted cell-to-cell communication and wound-healing signals may drive ongoing tissue damage and pain, the work helps explain why some patients don’t get better with today’s anti-inflammatory strategies alone.

In the Q&A below, Wei and Bhamidipati discuss the unmet clinical need, the spatial transcriptomics approach that made this possible, and what these insights could mean for more precise therapies for patients who have run out of options.

A detailed “tissue map” of rheumatoid arthritis joints suggests that scarring pathway, not just immune inflammation, may help explain why some patients don’t respond to standard therapies. Credit: Shutterstock

What challenges or unmet needs make this study important?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of its own joints, causing chronic pain, swelling and stiffness.

While there have been remarkable advancements in the treatment of RA with an array of therapies that target inflammation, a large subset of patients (approximately 6-28%) continue to experience difficult-to-manage symptoms of disease even after receiving multiple lines of treatment. There is a critical need to identify new therapeutic approaches for patients who are refractory to existing treatment options.

What central question(s) were you investigating?

Our research focused on discovering why some people with rheumatoid arthritis don’t respond well to standard treatments, by looking closely at the biology of their joint tissue.

What methods or approach did you use?

We observed an exaggerated wound healing response (fibrogenesis) in the joints of patients who failed to achieve remission. Though the treatments were effective in depleting immune populations and reducing joint swelling, they were not adequately effective at alleviating joint pain in non-remitting patients, which was linked to increased tissue scarring.

We also discovered that the buildup of scar tissue in joints happens because the normal communication between blood vessels and endothelial cells with nearby support cells, called fibroblasts, gets disrupted. If we can find ways to help these cells talk to each other properly again, we might be able to stop or even reverse the harmful scarring that leads to ongoing joint problems.

What did you find?

We observed an exaggerated wound healing response (fibrogenesis) in the joints of patients who failed to achieve remission. Though the treatments were effective in depleting immune populations and reducing joint swelling, they were not adequately effective at alleviating joint pain in non-remitting patients, which was linked to increased tissue scarring.

We also discovered that the buildup of scar tissue in joints happens because the normal communication between blood vessels and endothelial cells with nearby support cells, called fibroblasts, gets disrupted. If we can find ways to help these cells talk to each other properly again, we might be able to stop or even reverse the harmful scarring that leads to ongoing joint problems.

What are the real-world implications, particularly for patients?

Our study identifies this type of tissue scarring as a key driver of treatment-refractory RA. This mechanism remains unaddressed by the current therapeutic landscape and offers a novel, targetable pathway for patients resistant to existing treatments.

What emerging trends in this field excite you right now?

Advances in technology are speeding up the deep molecular profiling of patient samples, ushering in an exciting era of precision medicine for autoimmune diseases where treatment is tailored to a patient’s unique molecular characteristics (such as protein levels, enzyme activity, and more).

This targeted approach promises to replace the current trial-and-error treatment methods with more effective interventions, significantly improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

https://scitechdaily.com/beyond-inflammation-scientists-uncover-new-cause-of-persistent-rheumatoid-arthritis/

5 Psoriatic Arthritis Myths and Facts

From everydayhealth.com

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is often misunderstood, and those misconceptions can make it harder for people to recognize symptoms, seek care, or understand what living with the condition is really like. It can also be challenging to explain the effects of the condition to friends, family, and co-workers.

“Psoriatic arthritis can also be difficult to diagnose, which can add to the confusion,” says Christopher Richard Morris, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist in Kingsport, Tennessee.

From its demographics to its progression, misconceptions about this autoimmune disease can be surprisingly persistent. Here are five common myths — and the facts to help set the record straight.

                                                                                                                         Everyday Health

1. Myth: Everyone With Psoriatic Arthritis Has Psoriasis

Not everyone with one condition will automatically have the other. While there is a strong link between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, up to 17 percent of people with a PsA diagnosis don’t have any visible skin symptoms at the time of their joint diagnosis.

“Though most adult patients develop psoriasis concurrently or before the symptoms of arthritis, there is a small subset of patients where arthritis develops before the skin manifestations,” says Nayaab Bakshi, DO, a fellow at Stony Brook Medicine’s division of rheumatology in Stony Brook, New York.

That said, Dr. Morris points out that there are PsA patients who may not be aware they also have psoriasis, which manifests in different ways. There can be patches of thick, scaly skin that can appear on the scalp, elbows, knees, or lower back; yellow-brown spots on the nails; or pustules can develop on the hands or feet.

“Psoriasis is not recognized easily, and you may not know what to be looking for,” Morris says. If you do notice a skin eruption, he adds, make an appointment with a dermatologist for a thorough examination.

2. Myth: PsA Is Caused by ‘Wear and Tear,’ Like Osteoarthritis

While both conditions are defined by joint pain, they are driven by different biological processes. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage in the joints breaks down over time due to age, injury, or repetitive use.

PsA is inflammatory, which means joint damage is caused by an overactive immune response.

“Inflammation in psoriatic arthritis triggers a cascade of immune responses that cause joint pain, swelling, and destruction through multiple mechanisms: synovial tissue invasion, cartilage breakdown, and bone erosion,” says Dr. Bakshi. The synovium is the lining in the joints that can become inflamed, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.

In psoriatic arthritis, your immune system also mistakenly tells your body to strip away bone in some spots while simultaneously building extra bone in others. This uneven process can reshape the joint, whereas osteoarthritis involves the gradual breakdown of protective cartilage.

3. Myth: If Your Skin Is Clear, Your Joints Are Fine

While there is some correlation between the severity of skin symptoms and the severity of the joint pain, the two don’t always move in tandem. The skin and the joints are independent targets of the same overactive immune system.

“We have an immune system that can be directed in many different ways,” says Aly Cohen, MD, a rheumatologist and an integrative health specialist in Princeton, New Jersey, and the medical director of the online education platform the Smart Human. “Because of that variability, you can’t always predict what’s going to become inflamed.”

One study found that some immune cells can migrate from the skin into the joints, where they may continue to trigger inflammation. This could help explain why your joints are affected while your skin looks perfectly healthy.

But it is true that if your skin isn’t clear, your joints may also be affected. Bakshi says the severity of skin symptoms can mirror the severity of joint pain. On the other hand, patients can also have severe psoriasis with mild joint disease, or minimal skin issues with significant joint pain and damage.

4. Myth: Psoriatic Arthritis Primarily Affects Elderly People

Since PsA isn’t an aging-joint issue like osteoarthritis, it doesn’t take decades of living for it to emerge. PsA is triggered by a malfunctioning immune system, and that can activate at any age, including in childhood. Studies suggest that the disease is most common in people 40 to 59 years old.

“There is no great way to understand the demographics,” says Dr. Cohen. “It used to be considered male dominant, but I’ve seen it equalize over the years.” It was also long considered a Caucasian disease, but research now suggests Hispanic and non-white PsA patients may experience more pain and limitations in their daily activities.

More than 1.5 million people in the United States have PsA, and about one-third of people who have the skin condition will develop it. Most people develop psoriasis about 10 to 20 years before being diagnosed with PsA.

5. Myth: The Symptoms Are Limited to Joint Pain and Skin Rash

PsA is often thought of as a condition that is limited to two specific areas, but that view is incomplete. “Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a multisystem inflammatory disease that extends beyond joint and skin involvement,” says Bakshi.

In addition to achy joints and skin rashes, other symptoms of PsA include:

• Fatigue or a lack of energy
• Tenderness in the areas where tendons or ligaments attach to bones, such as the back of the heel or sole of the foot
• Painful, sausage-like swelling of a whole finger or toe
• Nail changes, such as pitting (tiny dents), crumbling, or separation from the nail bed.
• Eye inflammation, especially uveitis, which can cause eye pain, redness, and blurry vision, and must be treated promptly to avoid vision loss.
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• An increased risk of heart disease

The Takeaway

• Misconceptions about psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are common, largely because it can be difficult to recognize and diagnose; it can have both a joint and a skin component, and doesn’t always present in obvious or predictable ways.
• PsA is an inflammatory disease, not the result of cartilage deterioration. It’s caused by an overactive immune system that damages joints in complex ways, and skin symptoms don’t always reliably reflect what’s happening in the joints.
• PsA can affect the whole body, can develop at almost any age, and can impact more than joints and skin. It can also affect your eye, digestive, and cardiovascular health.
• Understanding the condition and the effects it may have can help you manage it better.

 https://www.everydayhealth.com/psoriatic-arthritis/myths-and-facts/ 

Safety, smarts necessary when exercising with arthritis

From oakdaleleader.com

Physical activity is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. While the recommendations for exercise may vary for each individual, general guidelines from public health agencies typically suggest most people should get around 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day.

People with arthritis may be hesitant to head to the gym or engage in home workouts because the instinct to rest is strong when joints feel stiff or painful. However, health care advocates note that movement is one of the most effective treatments for arthritis.

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says arthritis remains a leading cause of disability in 2026. Roughly one in four adults in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation says exercise is not just a lifestyle choice, but an essential component of joint health. People who engage in physical activity report a 40 percent reduction in pain on average. Here is a prescription for safely navigating physical activity while managing arthritis.

                                          Exercise can remain a key component of daily life, even for those with arthritis

Emphasize exercise that improves flexibility. The Better Health Channel says people with arthritis should focus on exercises that reduce stiffness and keep joints moving through their full range-of-motion. Examples include gentle neck rotations, shoulder rolls and finger stretches daily, especially in the morning during flare-ups.

Incorporate low-impact aerobic movements. Cardiovascular exercises improve heart health and help with weight management, which is essential for people with arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation says losing just one pound of body weight can remove four pounds of pressure from the knees. Walking, cycling and water exercises are low-impact ways to get the cardio a body needs, says the Mayo Clinic.

Make resistance training part of your routine. Building strong muscles can help protect the joints by acting as shock absorbers. People can use bodyweight exercises like chair squats, resistance bands or light dumbbells to build muscle. The Arthritis Foundation recommends focusing on the muscles surrounding joints experiencing the most pain, such as quadriceps for knee arthritis or abdominals to protect the hips and spine.

Assess pain. Experts suggest using something called the two-hour rule to determine if exercise added to or diminished arthritis pain. If joint pain is higher two hours after exercising, then it’s important to reduce the duration or intensity of exercise the next time. During a flare-up, do not stop moving entirely, but shift to gentle range-of-motion stretching only, suggests the Mayo Clinic.

https://www.oakdaleleader.com/209-living/safety-smarts-necessary-when-exercising-with-arthritis/ 

We Asked an Orthopaedist How to Keep Your Knees Healthy as You Age

From verywellhealth.com

By Stephanie Brown

Almost one in four adults over 40 has knee osteoarthritis, a common knee issue that occurs when cartilage in joints wears away from use. While you can't fully prevent knee osteoarthritis, we asked Steven Svoboda, MD, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, how you can keep your knees healthy as you age.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Q: I’ve always been active, but I’ve noticed my knees starting to hurt more as I get older. Why is this happening, and how would I know if this is just normal aging or something more serious?

Svoboda: A lot of things get attributed to aging, but knee pain isn't always part of normal aging. It isn't always related to a big injury, either. Sometimes it's from the subtle changes that occur when you're expecting more from your body than what it was built for.

Maybe you start to have knee pain after going all in on a new workout regimen. After a few months, you might notice some pain without necessarily having an injury. In those cases, it's likely related to overuse. Your body can adapt to what's expected of it, but you need to follow a plan and navigate this carefully.

Let's say you're inspired to start jogging and you want to run a 10K. It would be a good idea to see a physical therapist and ask them how to avoid getting anterior knee pain during your training. They can teach you exercises and stretches to help keep your knees healthy. You could also go to a strength and conditioning coach or personal trainer who understands how to ease you into a new workout routine without risking injuries.

Q: What are the best things I can do to protect my knees and keep them healthy as I age?

Svoboda: Don't injure your knees. If you have a significant ligament injury, like an ACL or a meniscus tear, your risk of arthritis goes up seven or eight times, according to some studies. So, it's not an insignificant thing to injure yourself.

It is important to stay active and seek out new things that expand your horizons. But make sure you are smart and thoughtful when starting a new activity, at any age. Don't cash in some of your body's resilience on an overuse injury. If some is good, more isn't always better.

Other factors that influence knee health include obesity and nicotine use. People with obesity and those who smoke are at risk for pain and arthritis in their knees. If you have concerns about weight management or smoking cessation, speak with your healthcare provider.

Q: Is it even important to worry about protecting my knees if they aren’t bothering me yet? Can’t I just get knee replacements as I get older?

Svoboda: At the right time, surgeries can make a bad case a lot better, but there are no quick fixes.

Knee replacements aren't that good, and they don't make your knee normal. Some studies estimate that 10%-20% of people who have knee replacements are dissatisfied. There's nothing worse than operating on someone who wants a quick fix, but ends up disappointed because they didn't have realistic expectations about the long recovery period.

If you can avoid things that are bad for you, that can pay off in the end. I said don't get injured, but I'm not saying don't play contact, collision sports. If you do play those sports, wear your braces, do the proper training, get strong, and learn your techniques really well.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-keep-your-knees-healthy-as-you-age-11945299