World Arthritis Day, October 12

World Arthritis Day is October 12. I do not now suffer from arthritis but I have experienced its pains in the past. While I was about 25 weeks pregnant with my first child, I noticed that I had trouble moving my thumbs. That it was both painful and difficult to complete normal, everyday tasks. My husband is an athletic trainer and I would constantly ask him to massage my sore hands to bid good-bye to the pain, if only temporarily. My husband said I had arthritis, which is sometimes induced by pregnancy. I discussed this with my physician and he confirmed that many pregnant women suffer as I was. The good news is that my arthritis only lasted about six months after the birth of my son. It did return during (and stayed after) my second pregnancy as well. The pain, stiffness and inability to move my hands scared me.  I remember trying to swaddle my newborn and wincing in pain trying to carry out such a simple task. Although Arthritis didn’t physically affect me for too long, it left a lasting impression.

Did you know that Did you know that Arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability? It impacts one in every five adults and affects 4 million people in the US and hundreds of millions around the world.  

While there is no cure for arthritis, The Arthritis Foundation wants to encourage all Americans to take simple steps that will prevent or decrease the pain and disability of arthritis. In partnership with the Ad Council, the Arthritis Foundation is launching the Take Action Against Arthritis initiative in support of World Arthritis Day on October 12, 2012. Observed every year on Oct. 12 since 1996, World Arthritis Day is part of a global awareness initiative by the United Nations-endorsed Bone and Joint Decade

My mother has started a walking regime to maintain her bone mass and reduce the impact on her joints. I have pulled out my jogging stroller once again and have begun my late afternoon walk with my two kiddos. Autumn is the perfect time for an afternoon stroll, it is great way to reduce stress, strengthen your body and help ward off the pains of arthritis.

We are sharing THREE ways in which you can learn more about Arthritis and bring increased awareness as well as support fight osteoarthritis

•  Weapons of Choice video featuring the story of Brian Teacher, a tennis pro who fights his arthritis by playing the sport he loves
•  the Pain Tip App where you can learn tips on how to manage osteoarthritis pain and share tips of your own
•  the Visualization Tool  which allows users to share their weapons against arthritis and learn what others do in their fight against the disease

Visit the Arthritis Foundation’s Facebook Page or Follow the Discussion on Twitter using #WorldArthritisDay

For more information visit the weapons.fightarthritispain.org website.

World Arthritis Day, October 12, 2012