Is there an excercise that can prevent my fingers bending in from rheumatoid arthritis?

Question

I have had arthritis since i was two and now im 16. I have arthritis in every joint. My fingers are starting to bend inward and I dont want them to be like that for the rest of my life. I just started an IV treatment called Orenica(also if you know anything about that?)

Answer 1

There's no exercise to prevent the 'drift' that develops in your fingers. It happens as a result of damage to the knuckle joints. As these joints get more damaged during flare-ups, then the tendons that pass over and under them start pulling at an angle, and this gives you the ulnar drift (where the fingers start pointing away from the thumb side of your hand).

The main preventative thing to do is REST your hands during acute flare-ups, wear resting splints and only take them off twice a day to run your fingers through full range of movements, then put the splints back on again.

When an acute flare-up settles, make sure to regain full range of movement in all joints again, and avoid loading your hands too much. Dynamic wrist splints can help position your wrists, so that your fingers work at their best mechanical advantage.

Talk to your doctor/rheumatologist/paediatrician. Make sure you're in regular contact with your physio/OT - the physio will teach you about joint care, and the OT should be able to sort your splinting.

If it does seem to be happening already, then talk to your doctors about 'knuckle' replacements - they are quite successful.

Still's disease, or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes burns itself out about now - so hopefully the disease will stop being active over the next year or two, if it hasn't already stopped.

Good luck with it.

Answer 2

Try massage and stretching exercises. There are many self hand massage techniques that can help to loosen up the muscles in the hands and fingers. I know the problem is joints, but muscles tend to tighten around painful areas, in my experience. Consult with a doctor or massage therapist about possible hand exercises you could do to help the problem as well. I have also heard that moist heat helps with joint pain and inflammation, so perhaps a combination of exercises, massage, and moist heat therapy would help you. As I am no doctor, you should consult your doctor before trying any new therapy as some can make a condition worse, and your doctor will be aware of such therapies for your condition. Good Luck

Answer 3

sorry i don't know anything about Orenica. there are many ways to keep your joints limber.
-knitting
-get a stress ball....you can get them at places like walmart. theyare really squishy and they only cost like 2 bucks.you can make your own at home too. take a clean sock and put rice or something like that in it. heat it in the microwave for a few seconds until it gets warm. the heat for your joints will also be good for you.

good luck with your joints and with life overall.

Answer 4

check this link for information on rheumatoid arthritis
http://www.arthritisreliefhelp.info/Reactive-Arthritis-Is-a-Systemic-Rheumatic-Disease.php

Answer 5

accupuncture worked for me. took several treatments, completely gone.