Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is most common in people over the age of 40 and more common in women than men. For someone living with RA, daily tasks can be painful. A person may experience “flare ups” of their RA in which case they should scale back the activities and keep movement to gentle stretching.
What is RA?
RA is an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation in the tissues that line joints.
Symptoms of RA may include:
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Stiffness in joints particularly in the morning
- Fatigue
- Low-grade fever
Symptoms generally develop gradually over a number of years but for some people they can appear to onset quickly. Early RA tends to affect the smaller joints first such as in the fingers and toes. As the disease progresses symptoms may spread to areas such as the wrists, ankles, elbows and hips.
Early diagnosis and treatment can lessen the severity and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Medical Management accompanied by Physiotherapy management is the best course of treatment. Our physiotherapists can find the right type of exercise for you to protect the joints, maintaining movement and strength. This will help your ability to continue to enjoy everyday life activities.