Take Care:
Your Joints, Protect Your Farm Life
Introduction to arthritis
Did you know that around 1 in 5 people living in Ireland are affected by arthritis, making it the biggest cause of disability? Research suggests that farmers are at an even higher risk, with some studies suggesting that more than half have experienced aches and pains related to arthritis or ‘musculoskeletal disorders’ (MSDs).
National Farm Survey research indicates that MSDs are among the main causes of disability among Irish farmers, which lead to farm income loss and reduced levels of part-time employment. MSDs are a serious cause for concern for farmers. Research found that;
–57% of farmers lost full-time workdays (with over 22% losing 15 days or more).
–The most commonly affected body regions were: lower back 31%, knee 15% and hips 12%.
You may be surprised to learn that, beyond medication, there are some simple lifestyle changes that you can make which have been proven to help improve the symptoms and outcomes of arthritis.
About this booklet
This booklet aims to raise awareness of arthritis, helping farmers (and their families) to take proactive steps in managing symptoms and reducing the risk of further deterioration to joints while continuing to work. Prioritising your own health will positively impact your working life on the farm, your relationships with others and your overall sense of wellbeing.
T Think about the way you do things on the farm.
A Aim to build in more structured activity into your routine.
K Keep communication as open and honest as possible.
E Engage with Arthritis Ireland for vital services and support.
C Care for yourself as well as you care for your farm (and others).
A Always remember that small changes can make a big difference.
R Recognise the symptoms.
E Educate yourself about arthritis and lifestyle advice.
TAim to vary your tasks and allow for recovery time when doing very physical work.
hink about the way you do things on the farm.
• Sit less and move more regularly to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.
• Organise your work and invest in equipment designed to minimise strain. When lifting, avoid twisting, bend your knees and lift using your thigh muscles, rather than your back.
• Warm up your muscles each morning by stretching for 5-10 minutes. This helps to prepare for the physical demands of farming, and has been proven to reduce the risk of injury.
…even small amounts of movement can benefit your joints and can help to relieve symptoms such as pain and stiffness.
AAim to build in more structured activity into your routine.
• Move your body. Some people are worried that activity will make their arthritis worse. But the truth is that inactivity is likely to make your condition worse.
• Moderate aerobic exercise, like walking, swimming or cycling should be undertaken for 30 minutes on five days of the week as this is known to help manage arthritis symptoms.
• Flexibility and strengthening exercises should also be done on two days of the week. Visit arthritisireland.ie for more information.
Ask for help…It is not a sign of weakness but, rather, a sign of resilience.
KKeep communication as open and honest as possible.
• Ask for help and be honest. Building a strong social network means that you will be supported through challenging times. Be honest with loved ones when you are struggling and ask for their help.
• Stop the guilt. Investing in yourself by scheduling lighter work days, or allowing for rest during busy times will benefit you in so many ways.
Arthritis Ireland offers many vital services and supports to help you to live the best life you possibly can.
EEngage with Arthritis Ireland for vital services and support.
• Visit our website (arthritisireland.ie) to access helpful information that will empower you.
• Our helpline (0818 252 846; email: helpline@arthritisireland.ie) is open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, to answer any of your questions, as well as direct you to vital services, supports and information.
• Our self-management courses offer you the chance to learn vital skills, and to meet other people living with arthritis. Our flagship course is ‘Living Well with Arthritis (LWWA)’, – visit the courses section of our website for this and other courses.
The food we eat has the potential to either keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain and inflammation.
CCare for yourself as well as you care for your farm (and others).
• Practice self-kindness. Build in time to rest and do other things you enjoy. This can be as simple as sitting down to have a quiet cup of tea, going for an evening walk or having a soak in the bath.
• Make sleep a priority. Sleep has a huge effect on how we feel. Good sleep hygiene means minimising alcohol, caffeine, sugar and screen time late in the evening, as these can all interfere with quality sleep.
• Look at ways to improve your diet. Aim to increase the amount of colourful vegetables and fruits you eat, as well as wholegrains, beans and pulses, healthy fats (like nuts and olive oil), and fish, whilst cutting down on sugary and fatty foods. Find out more by visiting arthritisireland.ie.
It is now believed that losing just one pound of weight results in four pounds (or 1.8 kg) of pressure being removed from the knees.
AAlways remember that small changes can make a big difference.
• Did you know that losing weight is likely to dramatically improve your arthritis symptoms?
• If you can manage to lose 4.5kg (around 10 pounds of weight), you will reduce your risk of osteoarthritis by as much as 50% – this will remove pressure from your joints and will bring about noticeable improvements in pain, inflammation and function.
• If you want to lose weight, small, consistent changes add up – such as increasing your activity levels, reducing portion sizes, taking healthy snacks out with you on the farm (such as an apple with a handful of nuts) and switching from white to brown (bread/pasta/rice).
RDon’t ignore symptoms and always consult your GP as soon as possible.
Recognise the symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting around 400,000 people in Ireland.
Inflammatory arthritis covers rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and others.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis tend to include;
• Pain, stiffness, swelling or tenderness around the joint.
• Loss of flexibility.
• Bone spurs (hard lumps that form around joints).
• A grating sensation (or crunching) in the joints.
Symptoms of inflammatory arthritis tend to include*;
• Joint pain, swelling or stiffness (especially in the morning).
• Struggling to do everyday tasks.
• Pain and stiffness that tends to improve with activity.
• Extreme fatigue, unexpected weight loss or anaemia.
• A flu-like feeling, or running a slight temperature.
• Inflammation in the eyes.
• Skin problems, such as a rash.
*This is not an exhaustive list – please consult your GP if you have any symptoms that you are concerned about.
Early intervention and treatment can bring about crucial improvements to your quality of life (and can also prevent further damage to your joints).
EEducate yourself about arthritis and lifestyle advice.
• Information is power. Keep yourself informed about what you can do to self-manage your arthritis, particularly if you want to stay working on the farm whilst also enjoying a good quality of life.
• Learn more about your arthritis. Visit arthritisireland.ie for patient stories, podcasts, webinars, videos and booklets. If you’re not sure where to start, ring our helpline (0818 252 846), open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm.
MYTHS AND FACTS
“Arthritis is really just a few aches and pains”
Arthritis can be a very challenging condition to live with. It can lead to debilitating pain and swelling in your joints, as well as extreme fatigue that can affect your mental health.
“It only really affects older people”
There are over 100 forms of arthritis, and some can affect younger people. Arthritis is not an inevitable part of ageing and not everyone gets worse.
“There’s nothing I can do – it’s incurable”
There is a lot you can do to help improve your symptoms and outcomes, such as improving your diet, increasing physical activity, prioritising sleep and rest, pacing yourself and asking for help.
“Exercise will probably only make it worse”
Exercise is important when you live with arthritis. Regular movement reduces pain and improves your ability to do everyday tasks.
“Surgery is the only option with osteoarthritis”
Surgery may only be necessary when symptoms are severe and should only be considered if the recommended treatments, such as exercise, weight loss and other self-management skills have firstly been tried but are not improving symptoms.
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Scan the QR code to join the Arthritis Ireland community: @Arthritisie ArthritisIreland.ie
