Brochure

This brochure was designed to be two-sided with Spanish and English.  It is a brief explanation of arthritis, how it is diagnosed and treated.

Many patients with arthritis have a hard time doing the simplest activities.  For them, there are many products offered commercially to assist with various tasks.

Equipment for Activities of Daily Living for People with Arthritis

                         

back scrubber

foot cleaner

long stove knob turner

peeler

cap gripper

              

            

                                         

Public Service Announcement: Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis and Yoga:  PSA

A recent article in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing (Taibi & Vitiello, 2012) describes the use of yoga to help adults that have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA).  Yoga is an exercise technique that combines assuming poses with breathing and meditation.  The American College of Rheumatology, Subcommittee on OA Guidelines considers yoga a valid approach to manage the symptoms of OA.  These symptoms include decreased joint movement, decreased strength, pain and often poor sleep habits.  OA is a serious health problem that grows progressively worse as people get older.  Today, 80% of people with OA have trouble moving and 25% have trouble doing everyday activities.  In our aging society, OA costs the American health care system more than 60 billion dollars every year. 

Taibi and Vitiello (2012) describe current research that reports several benefits for practicing yoga.  Yoga has been shown to decrease the pain of arthritis, improve balance and improve quality of sleep. However, this research is limited and additional studies are still needed to provide evidence that yoga is a reliable intervention for middle-aged and older adults with OA.  For health providers, this article also proposes a multi-level theory to explain why yoga works to alleviate symptoms.

Yoga, like any physical exercise program, involves both benefits and risks.  It is suggested that patients become educated about different styles and instruction of yoga.  This will enable them to make an informed decision and choose a suitable program that will offer safe and valuable options for treating their osteoarthritis symptoms (Taibi & Vitiello, 2012).

Reference

Taibi, D. M., & Vitiello, M. V. (2012). Yoga for osteoarthritis: Nursing and research

      considerations. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 38(7), 26-35; quiz 36-7. doi:

       http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20120608-04

 

 

Welcome to my blog. This blog has been created for my strategies/health education class. My topic is arthritis.

The topic of arthritis is one that I address every week at my job as a hand therapist.  My patients often do not have even a basic understanding of their arthritis diagnosis.  I think this is due to their not understanding the explanation offered by their physician or sometime the doctor's office fails to take the time to explain.  I look forward to adding to this blog in a way that will add to your understanding of this diagnosis