My alarm goes off and from the first moment I open my eyes, I begin fighting. I fight the pain. I fight the joint stiffness. Even though I’ve slept a full night, I fight the fatigue. The days are long and the energy is short. Managing joint stiffness and fatigue, aside from the obvious pain, are probably my top 2 complaints when it comes to living with psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis.

Managing joint stiffness

Unfortunately, a single cure-all does not exist (at least that I’ve found). But, there are a few things that you can do to help manage joint stiffness from RA or PsA.

1. Simple Stretches or Hatha Yoga

Simple stretches don’t have to be difficult or overly involved. You don’t need fancy equipment or a lot of time to make a big difference. Your joints may be a bit tender when you get started in the morning, but if you remember to do it consistently, you will likely find that it really helps manage joint stiffness.

You can do simple stretches in your bed in the morning, gently flexing each joint while being sure to breathe in and out slowly. This gets much needed oxygen to your muscles and joints. If you are looking for something to follow that is a little more step-by-step, check out this video.

Tips

If your knees and wrists are particularly sore places, it is a good idea to wear supports and use yoga jellies or a bolster to protect your tender joints and get the most out of your stretching.

Take your time. Start slow and only do what feels okay.

You may find maximum relief doing simple stretches in the morning AND before bed.

2. CBD Salves, Lotions, Oils, and Balms

Applying CBD directly to stiff joints and muscles brings immediate relief when you are managing stiff joints. The combination of gentle massage with the pain relieving properties of CBD work together to loosen stiff joints. With most products, a little goes a long way so you don’t need to use a ton to get relief. When applied BEFORE stretching, it maximizes relief.

Here are my favorites

• • CBDistillery Topical Salve and Cream– Both of these products only take a tiny bit at a time to help when you are managing joint stiffness. The relief is nearly immediate and lasts for hours. Use code SUNDAYS to save.

 

Bio+ CBD Muscle and Joint Oil – This product is more of a oily substance, it has a very “earthy” scent. You can read my full review of this product here. 

3. Diet

I know, I hate to admit it, but in my experience, what I eat makes a HUGE difference when it comes to managing joint stiffness. Changing my diet has allowed me to feel not so much like death every single morning and night. I have found sugar, processed, starchy foods, and gluten all cause me more pain and stiffness. Which makes me really sad because those are pretty much all my favorite kinds of food. You can read more about the dietary changes I’ve made here and here.

A few things to remember…

Some people have found a good deal of relief sleeping and wearing compression gloves, socks, and wraps. these are certainly great things to try. In my experience, these have only helped me when I’ve had swelling along with the joint pain. They keep the swelling down and protect the joint. But if I use them in the absence of swelling, they don’t seem to do a whole lot for managing joint stiffness. You can read my review of the gloves here.

Also…

You may have noticed a few changes here at Smiles and Sundays. I have added quite a few products in our Shop and many family friendly finds. I now carry some adorable Spring Outfits for girls and a large selection of home decor items. Plus, I’m adding more daily! All with a flat rate shipping charge of ONLY $2.00 and FREE SHIPPING for order over $75!

I’ve been looking high and low for the best deals on the best products for Spoonies.

These include:

• No Tie Shoelaces
• Kitchen gadgets to make cooking easier
• Cute compression gear
• Heat/Ice packs
• #Spoonie Strong Tees and Spoonie Awareness Accessories

I CAN’T WAIT to start this new adventure with y’all!

~Leanne

 

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