Good morning! Don’t you love this time of year? I especially love getting out for exercise when the sun is up but the temperature is still cool. October mornings are my favorite time to run!
I haven’t written about running in a while, but I’m happy to report that I am still running regularly and still having no trouble with my knees. Sometimes I actually laugh while I’m running, just thinking about how good it feels to move without pain!
A few months ago, I started having trouble opening jar lids. I also noticed that my thumbs became sore doing simple things like holding my phone, holding a music binder at choir rehearsal, or holding a book open to read. Arthritis strikes again! I bought myself a lid opener and started varying my hand position when holding my phone or books, but something was nagging at the back of my mind.
I was describing my thumb pain to my husband one day when we both had the same thought: if I could overcome arthritis pain in my knees, could I do something about my thumbs as well? He reminded me that, only a few years ago, I could not walk more than a quarter of a mile without knee pain. Now I can RUN three miles without stopping, and my knees feel great!
I got my knees back. Can I get my thumbs back, too? I don’t know, but I’m going to try!
I read about hand exercises for arthritis on various websites and was interested to see that most people experienced less pain and more mobility when doing the exercises daily. One report I read said that no improvement was observed one year later if exercises were discontinued. That makes sense. With arthritis already in the picture, a joint that doesn’t move regularly is going to stiffen and hurt. I don’t like pain, so I’m determined to keep moving!
I’ve printed some hand exercises from the Arthritis Foundation. They’re easy to do, and they don’t require any special clothing or exercise mats, so I have no excuse! I also pulled out some piano finger exercise books and have been trying to make these a part of my daily routine. I’m attempting to limit the amount of time I hold my phone (I may need to cut out some of those games I love!), and I’m trying to vary my hand position often when holding books.
What do you do for mobility? Have you had success overcoming arthritis pain? I would love to hear from you!
Have a great day- and keep moving!
Smith Family Resources 