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Your arthritis can affect you in many different ways, but your occupational therapist will help you with some of the difficulties you face.

Making everyday activities easier

Your occupational therapist can help you to analyse your work, household and leisure activities, find out where there are problems and suggest changes that might help.

You may need to rethink the way you do things, such as:

• using your hands differently
• positioning yourself more comfortably
• taking more rest breaks
• getting help with heavier jobs.

For example, if you have problems with ironing because it’s uncomfortable to stand for too long or to hold the iron, then the solution may be to sit or perch on a stool, to wear a supportive wrist splint and/or to use a lightweight iron.

Read more aboutcomfort in your homeandwork and arthritis.

Gadgets and equipment

Youroccupational therapistcan advise on the best gadgets to make tasks easier at home or at work. There’s a huge range of aids and appliances available – from chunky-grip pens to vegetable peelers. If need be, the therapist can help you get special equipment such as kettle-tippers, bath seats, raised toilet seats andstairlifts.

You can get equipment through a local retailer or from a community equipment store or via a local retailer. Your occupational therapist can advise on what you need and where to get them.

Social Services’ occupational therapists are experts in home adaptations such as ramps, level-access showers and stairlifts.

Getting around

If you have difficulties getting around, your occupational therapist can suggest vehicle adaptations to help you, such as a panoramic-view mirror if turning your head is difficult. Or they can help you decide on the best choices for your next car, such as an automatic car with power steering.

For more complex problems your occupational therapist can assist with getting help from other agencies such asMotabilityor a specialist mobility centre. They may also be able to advise you about wheelchairs and scooters.

Occupational therapy aims to help people who have difficulty with their everyday work, home or leisure activities because of illness or disability. Some occupational therapists (OTs) have specialist knowledge in dealing with problems caused by arthritis and related conditions, and they’ll work with you to find solutions to these difficulties, allowing you to carry on independently with your daily activities.

Occupational therapy can help you manage your arthritis in a number of ways:

• advice on using your joints without straining them
• splints to support your joints while working or resting
• recommendations on gadgets and equipment to help you with yourcomfort in your homeand atwork
• exercises to improve hand and wrist movements and grip
• advice on planning and balancing daily activities with rest to reduce tiredness (fatigue)
• help and advice on driving and mobility problems
• relaxation techniques
• help and advice on coping physically and emotionally with the changes your condition may bring.

Occupational therapists may work within the NHS, Social Services departments, charities or in private practice. Your GP, consultant orspecialist nursemay refer you to anoccupational therapist, or you can ask to see someone if you feel it would be helpful. In some cases, you may be referred to a specialist hand therapist who’ll be able to offer similar help and advice.

If you’re having trouble managing at home, you can askSocial Services让你接触到一个occupational therapist. They’ll probably see you in your own home.

At your first appointment, your occupational therapist will assess your condition, including which joints are affected and where you have pain. They’ll ask about any problems you’re having with everyday tasks. It’ll help if you think about these before your appointment. This might include difficulties with:

• washing and dressing
• household tasks and cooking, including difficulty using appliances
• getting around both inside and outside your home
• driving
• work activities
• leisure and social activities
• childcare and looking after others
• sleep
• using your hands.

When they’ve highlighted particular problems, your occupational therapist will explore possible solutions with you. This may include:

• practical advice on overcoming everyday difficulties
• suggesting different ways to help you do things more easily
• advice on managing work and leisure activities
• discussing your condition and helping you to help yourself
• providing advice on your condition either one to one or through education/information groups
• advice about managing mood and stress
• providingsplintsor arthritis gloves to rest or support your joints and help reduce your pain
• suggesting hand exercises to help improve movement and grip
• referral to other agencies, for examplephysiotherapyorSocial Services.

Whichever type of arthritis you have, it’s important to start looking after your joints as soon as possible. Your occupational therapist will show you how to reduce the strain on your joints. This is known as joint protection. It doesn’t mean you should stop using your joints, just that you should try to use them differently. for example by:

• spreading the load over several joints
• allowing larger, stronger joints to take more of the strain
• making sure you’re not twisting or straining your joints when you use them.

You can read more about these techniques in the sectionjoint care. They can be applied to household, leisure or work activities.

Your occupational therapist can also advise on how to manage the fatigue that’s often associated with arthritis by:

• balancing activities with rest
• planning ahead
• prioritising your tasks.

Relaxation techniques can help to counter the effects of stress andfatigue, and can help with pain control.

Wearing a wrist or thumb splint can help you to rest and support joints that are painful or unstable. Youroccupational therapistorhand therapistmay make custom-made splint for you or prescribe them ready-made.

Different types of splints are available to support your joints while you’re working and to keep your joints in a stable position while you’re resting. Or your therapist may recommend arthritis gloves – these are made from a flexible but supportive fabric but leave your fingertips free for fine movements and grip.

Corrective splints may also be used in some cases to help deformed joints.

Read more aboutsplints for arthritis of the wrist and hand.