Hello, and welcome
to the NRAS Exercise Section
of our website.
My name is Ailsa Bosworth,
and I founded the society
in 2001.
Like you,
I live with rheumatoid arthritis
and I was diagnosed around 1981.
I had aggressive disease
that wasn't really responding
to the standard drugs
and the year later
I had my daughter.
As a new mom to be
completely honest with you,
exercise was the last thing
on my mind.
Treatment was very different
30 years ago
and I sustained
a lot of joint damage,
so I've had many joint
replacements and procedures
since I was first diagnosed.
I went through some bad times
with this disease.
And it's only really since 2000,
and I went on
to my first biologic
that I've been able
to get my life back on track
when I found a treatment
that worked for me.
So for those of you
who are more recently diagnosed,
you should be able
to look forward
to a relatively active
and healthy life with RA.
However, it's not just about
taking the drugs,
although that's very important.
It's about
doing everything you can
to keep active and healthy.
Exercise being
a very key component
to keeping your joints mobile
and strong as possible.
For those of you, like me,
that have to live with long term
joint damage from RA,
you may well be thinking,
"Exercise can't do much for me,
the damage is already done,
and anyway, I can't exercise."
But believe in me when I say
that exercise
is so very important,
not just to keep active
and mobile
and reduce the risk
of further joint damage,
but to reduce the risk
of cardiovascular disease,
improve muscle strength,
and to help improve
your mental wellbeing too.
We are at greater risk
of cardiovascular disease
with RA
and exercise is for us all,
no matter at what stage
of your journey with RA.
There is something
that you and I can do.
So let's find out more.
I've invited a few friends
around to my place today,
and the next few sections
and video clips
will give you examples of simple
and more adventurous exercises
that you can do at home
without needing to go to the gym
or buy special gear.
We're going to do this
with the expert guidance
of Jessica,
who's a physiotherapist
working as part
of a Rheumatology
Multidisciplinary Team,
and I'd like to
introduce you to her now.
- Jessica.
- Hi, there.
My name is Jessica
and I work at the Nuffield
Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford.
I work with patients
with arthritis every day.
Many people with RA will ask me,
"Why should I exercise?"
Exercise is very important
for people with arthritis.
Not only will it improve
some of your symptoms,
but there's also
a lot of evidence
that exercise can improve
muscle strength, function,
and the ability to do
everyday things
as well as reducing the risk
of cardiovascular disease.
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