Tell me about living with arthritis!

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

For the last few months I've been getting random horrendous pain in my lower back. GP sent me for a pelvic Xray a few weeks ago and when I phoned up the GP surgery to see if the results were back yet, the receptionist told me they were, and that I have mild osteoarthritis in BOTH of my hips I'm not sure that's the cause of my back pain but I'll see what the GP says when I get to speak to him on Monday.

Anyway, I'm only 30 I'm overweight and I had ambitions of losing my excess weight and then having riding lessons and maybe even taking up pole dancing (lessons, not in a strip club ) will I still be able to do these activities with arthritis? What will I be able to do that might help and not make it worse?

I’m nearly 50 & I have had osteoarthritis in my hips from a similar age. Sometimes I moan and groan and have a bit of pain, sometimes the pain wakes me up in the night, but it hasn’t stopped me doing anything.

The arthritis in my neck, wrists and hands that was diagnosed in my early 40’s causes me more issues tbh. There are days I can’t even mash (or peel) potatoes and my neck can cause me a lot of pain during the night but it doesn’t stop me doing yoga, gardening, running or decorating on good days.

Losing weight can help as is reduces the pressure on your joints and slow the progression. It can also reduce the pain.

I know it’s a shock, you tend to think of arthritis as an ‘old person’ problem, but many people carry on perfectly normally with their lives with mild arthritis so don’t panic

www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/living-with/

I quit riding as a teenager because of arthritis in my knees and hands, I tried various styles including Western and side saddle. I didn't have enough mobility and it was extremely painful. If you really want to try it then look at being taken round some enclosed fields on a lead rein by someone trustworthy. That way you can check if the movements hurt your joints without having to also control the horse.