I was also interested in the description of RA as inflaming the ligaments etcA little clarification... there are over 175 different forms of arthritis. They can loosely be divided into "osteoarthritis" and "inflammatory arthritis". RA is one type of inflammatory arthritis, I have another. RA destroys the synovial lining in the joints- this is what leads to the deformity of the joints. My particular form of arthritis is one in which the joints themselves are not directly affected, but the tendons and ligaments around the joints are inflamed. The treatment for most of the inflammatory forms of arthritis are similar; anti-inflammatory and "disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs" (DMARDS). I don't have RA, but the drugs I take are the same ones used to treat RA.
around the joints. The rheumatologist who dealt with my RSI 18 months ago
found I had high levels of rheumatoid factor in my blood, but said there was
no other indicator of RA. But I wonder if it is a factor in my problems -
although the RSI was originally tendonitis in my right wrist/forearm caused
by mouse-clicking, at its worst it seems to affect many
ligaments/tendons/muscles in both forearms and wrists. I'm encouraged that so
many people here have problems with their hands but still manage to make
lace!
One of the things that arthritis of any sort will do is to lead to a loss of range of motion. This is the worst thing that can happen. As the pain increases, the tendency is to not move- this causes the joints to become less mobile, which increases the pain when moving, creating a vicious circle. It's important to keep the joints moving. The problem is that some activities can put extra strain on the joints which can do further damage. The trick is to find an activity that allows for "gentle motion" without causing more injury. Lace is good for that. The bobbins aren't heavy, the motion isn't severe, but it is motion. One of the first things I had to give up when my arthritis became active was making baskets. The strength needed to push and pull the rows into position caused horrible swelling in my hands.
Katrina
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