How to take care of 5 joints commonly affected by rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects everyone differently, but some joints are more often involved in the disease than others. One of the reasons why the condition can be so difficult to live is that it generally affects the fingers, wrists, knees, ankles and feet – joints that use a lot, explains David Lee, MD, rheumatologist with the Permanent Kaiser Riverside Medical Center in Riverside, California.
In general, you can limit joint lesions by following your drug diet, not smoking, doing regular exercise and eating an anti-inflammatory diet. But when it comes to soothing the joints that hurt the most, these tips can help.
1. Rheumatoid parhitris and your knees
Or: RA generally affects both sides of the body, so most people feel pain in both knees.
Which aggravates it: When you have an enlightening rocket, repetitive use and high impact exercises can worsen knee pain. Being overweight and sedentary increases the pain and stiffness of the knee, whether or not you have a rocket.
What helps: Maintaining healthy body weight and exercise regularly can help relieve pain and stiffness.
“Physical activity is not known to worsen arthritis in the joints; In fact, most people with PR have stiffness with inactivity and find relief with the movement of joints, “explains Kim Huffman, MD, PHD, an associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology and immunology at the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute in Durham, in North Carolina.
2. RA and the forefoot
Or: The toes of the toes and the ball of the foot.
Which aggravates it: As Dr. Huffman notes, “the manifestations of the foot of PR (and hand) do not result from weight but from a systemic inflammatory process. However, once inflammation is present in the foot or ankle, poor shoe holding can certainly exacerbate the pain and potential deformations. ”
“The deformations of the foot from RA (onions, claw toes and hammerets)”, adds Huffman, “are generally considered as a sign of activity of the disease, probably aggravated by a bad adjustment of the shoe.”
The shoes that are tight and press the toes or change your weight on the foot ball, such as high heels, will probably exacerbate the symptoms.
What helps: Wear shoes that adapt well, offer a cushioning and leave a lot of room for your toes. Specially equipped orthotics, such as inserts for your shoes, can also relieve the pressure on the most affected feet parts.
Do not forget to stretch and exercise your feet, the toes included, to keep the flexible joints.