Do you suffer with arthritis and what do you do to reduce the pain?  Did you know that walking has great benefits for arthritis?

This week, trundl founder Hil Mines went into hospital for a hip replacement, so we thought this was a great reason to talk about arthritis. Especially given that over 10 million people in the UK are affected with the disease.

When first diagnosed with osteoarthritis, Hil found the Versus Arthritis charity an invaluable resource. Particularly the exercise guides and videos.  While their 2024 report isn’t jolly reading, an important learning is that low impact exercise like walking is vital.

You could say that Hil is a poster child for walking with arthritis. While she does walk with poles and only manages short distances, walking reduces stiffness and pain in her joints. Especially after longer periods sitting at her desk. Furthermore, she’s certain that  “beneficial blood flow”  from walking means there’s less  reliance on painkillers.

In typical Hil fashion, she wants to shout about it from the rooftops to help other arthritis sufferers.

“As I know well, you may not feel like getting out for a walk when you’re in pain. And there’s no doubt that for the first 15 to 20 minutes, I find walking painful.  But once my joints loosen and blood flow increases, it is amazing how walking benefits me. As noted, I do use walking poles and they have been a game changer for me.  It’s important to realise that these should not be seen as something to be embarrassed about.  In fact, they are becoming really popular with the ultra running community. So you may be mistaken for an elite athlete if you’re not careful” 😊

Some key points from the report on arthritis in the UK include:

• An estimated 5.4 million people have knee osteoarthritis

• Around 3.2 million people have hip osteoarthritis

• About 450,000 adults have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

• An estimated 190,000 adults have psoriatic arthritis

People with arthritis or musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions usually are prescribed medicines to help manage symptoms. In 2022-2023 over 30 million prescriptions, valued at £139 million, were given for MSK and joint diseases.

While personal impact is high, cost to HealthCare, social services and the economy is also huge. Working days lost to these conditions was 2.58 billion in 2017, set to rise to 3.43 billion by 2030.

With these statistics in mind, can walking make a real difference?   The answer is undoubtedly a big Yes.

The Versus Arthritis report consistently states that walking is beneficial for people with arthritis. According to the report, walking is often recommended for people with arthritis because:

So, if you’re unlucky enough to have arthritis or stiff joints, we urge you to get walking.  Whether you walk with trundl for UK charities or not, grab your coat, get some fresh air and feel the benefits. Even at the end of a short walk.