Take Action Against Arthritis! 4 New Year’s Resolutions for People with Pain

If you’re one of the 41% of Americans that resolves to adopt healthier habits in the New Year and you’re experiencing knee pain, taking action for coping with your arthritis symptoms may top your to do list. According to the CDC, arthritis affects over 50 million people in the United States annually, and as it’s a leading cause of disability, doing everything possible for preventing arthritis will help keep you active as long as possible. Try the following healthy changes as you move into the New Year!

1. Eat Better

Dr. Scott Zashin, MD, rheumatologist and professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical School, suggests that positive dietary changes are key to improving or preventing arthritis. “We know this is the one thing people can do to improve osteoarthritis that doesn’t require medication,” he says. Changes don’t need to be drastic to be effective; simply adding more produce to your meals and swapping processed carbs (like breads, and pastas) for whole, unrefined carbohydrates will ultimately reduce the pro-inflammatory (and pro-pain) effects that your current diet may be having on your system.

2. Rest More

Allowing for periods of rest and relaxation is sorely underrated in our go-go-go culture. Stress is a fact of life, but scaling back on some of the physical and mental demands of your day and learning how to effectively cope with stressors as they arise are important steps for avoiding the many negative physical side effects that can result. Stress can also impact your sleeping patterns, and this alone can cause an increase in the amount of pain you experience. Seeking healthy, calming outlets like meditation, yoga or enjoying time outdoors can support the changes necessary for preventing arthritis pain from taking over your life.

3. Move Mindfully

As the ball drops every December, millions of Americans resolve to finally get moving, and as activity levels increase in the New Year, so do the number of injuries reported. To prevent pain in your joints when adopting a more active lifestyle, it’s important to start increasing your activity levels mindfully, and with a good baseline to gauge from. Want to run in a 5K race? Give yourself time to gear up to it. Already tending to painful or injured joints? Consider getting your body aligned and prepared for movement by seeking Chiropractic care, and Massage, Physical or Range of Motion Therapies to soothe soreness and to correct imbalances.

4. Seek Support

If you’re concerned about the onset of some arthritis symptoms and aren’t getting the support you need from your current physician, the turn of a new year might be the time to seek a more sympathetic team of medical professionals. Seeking alternative treatments and engaging in a more pro-active treatment protocol can make a huge difference in your efforts for preventing arthritis from affecting your lifestyle.

Moving Into A Healthier New Year?

If your New Year’s resolutions involve managing or preventing arthritis symptoms, we invite you to contact us today. At Health Star Clinic, we offer a wide variety of pain management and therapeutic services, and our multidisciplinary team will work to provide fast, comprehensive treatments to help you find relief.