May is Arthritis Awareness Month and if you have arthritis, I am sure that you are already aware of it.  But you are not alone, not even close to being alone, because over 50,000,000 Americans suffer from different forms and levels of arthritis and surprisingly, two-thirds, or about 30,000,000 people, are under the age of 65.  This shows that arthritis is not only an "old-folks" ailment but a disease for all ages. 

There are basically three forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and juvenile arthritis (JA).  The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis which is a progressive degenerative joint disease distinguished by the breakdown of joint cartilage due to risk factors such as history of joint injury, obesity, and age.  Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by the inflammation of the membranes which line the joint, causing stiffness, pain, swelling, and even severe joint damage.  Juvenile arthritis is a catch-all term to describe the many different inflammatory and autoimmune conditions that can occur in children under the age of sixteen years old.  For more information on arthritis, go to the Arthritis Foundation® webpage.

Rehabmart has many products to help individuals who experience the different levels of pain due to arthritis.  The following items are simple products that can assist an arthritic individual in the most mundane, yet important daily tasks.  For example, many people suffer arthritis in their fingers and hands, making it difficult to grasp the simplest items such as pencils and pens. 

  

The Weighted Universal Holders are plastic vinyl contoured handles that are placed over most round or irregularly shaped items such as pens, markers, pencils, paintbrushes, toothbrushes, etc., to improve hand grasp and control.  Now people with arthritic hands can once again write, paint, even brush their teeth easier and with more control with these holders, giving the individual a sense of accomplishment and independence.

  

  


Moist heat has been known to help reduce pain and stiffness caused by arthritis and other joint conditions.  The Thermophore 4 Stage Moist Heat Therapy Pads can deliver fast-acting moist heat at a touch of a button.  The pads come in several sizes, with the Large/Back pad covering large areas such as the shoulders, legs, and spine.  The Medium/Joint pad is great for treating the knees, feet, and elbows.  The Petite/Neck pad is ideal for the neck, sinuses, throat, or jaw.  And the Muff/Hand pad is designed specifically for the hands, ankles, or elbows.

  


The Curve Grab Bar can help save some nasty falls in the bathroom.  This grab bar is a support rail that will aid the user in rising up from, or sitting down upon the bathroom toilet.  A unique safety and space saving feature with this grab bar is it can be locked flat against the wall when not in use, allowing others to freely use the bathroom.  With its ladder-like shape providing four gripping heights, this grab bar can be locked into three positions, 0, 90, and 180 degrees.  The Curve Grab Bar meets medical grade requirements, made with rust-resistant, zinc-plated steel, and has a strong weight capacity of 300 pounds so almost anybody can safely use it.

  
For many people with arthritis, getting up and out of a chair can be an adventure of the scary kind.  With the Uplift-UPEASY Electric Lifting Cushion, an ordinary armchair or sofa can become a mobility assistance chair with a touch of a button.  This electrically-powered lifting cushion can help those with arthritis safely sit and rise from their chairs.  Simply flick one of the levers to raise the lifting cushion to a height that is comfortable to sit on it, then, while holding onto the armrests of the chair, flick the downward lever to be slowly and safely lowered onto the chair or sofa.  Turning any chair into a lift chair, this electric lifting cushion will lift 100 percent of the user's weight, even up to 300 pounds.

  

Many seemingly simple and everyday situations and tasks can become difficult for arthritic suffers to continue to do, which sometimes leads them to quit doing the daily tasks that they have been doing their entire lives.  Besides living with the pain of arthritis, now they realize they cannot do the simplest tasks, leading to dependence on others and mental discontent.  Instead of letting whatever happens happen, an arthritic person can now become pro-active in regaining the little bits of his or her daily routine again by using the many helpful arthritis-assisting products that can bring back a more happy and independent life. To find out more about the wide variety of arthritis products that can assist with daily living skills or that help alleviate arthritic pain, go to Rehabmart's Arthritis Products pages. 

Bill Stock
Executive Editor,
Content & Social Media Services
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO