What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition where the body’s own defences attack the lining of the joints. The result is swelling, warmth, pain and stiffness, most commonly in the small joints of the hands and feet,.
It is different from wear and tear (osteoarthritis), which we explain on the knee osteoarthritis page. A doctor, typically a rheumatologist, diagnoses it with an examination and blood tests.
Who manages what?
Your doctor manages the condition itself with medicine, and monitors blood tests and scans. Keep taking your medicine as prescribed, and tell us what you take, so we plan around it.
Physiotherapy adds what medicine cannot: keeping joints moving, muscles strong and daily tasks manageable. It also helps you read your own body, so you know the difference between a safe stretch and a flare.
What does it feel like day to day in Ipoh?
Mornings are the hardest for most people. The hands will not close around the kettle, the wrist hurts when you twist a tap, and the knees complain on the stairs of a terrace house.
Cooking can become a negotiation. Opening a jar, wringing a cloth, lifting a heavy wok or squeezing a lime all load the small joints. Our patients tell us the tiredness is as hard as the pain, because flares can leave the whole body drained.
If you feel low or impatient with your own body, that is a normal response. We plan with you, not against your limits.
How does physiotherapy help?
The aim is to keep you moving and protect your joints. The physiotherapist checks which joints are stiff, how much strength you have lost and which daily tasks hurt most.
- Gentle range-of-movement work to keep joints from stiffening.
- Strength exercises for the muscles around painful joints, adjusted to how you feel.
- Hand and wrist care, including grip and joint-saving techniques.
- Walking and balance work, with advice on footwear and aids if needed.
- Pacing: planning rest and activity so a good day does not cost you three bad ones.
- A flare plan: what to do, and who to message, when joints swell.
Our guide to arthritis myths clears up common worries, such as whether exercise damages joints.
Flare day or good day: how do you adjust?
On a flare day, the joint is hot, swollen and sore at rest. Rest it in a comfortable position, use gentle movement within comfort and do not push through sharp pain. Contact your doctor if flares are more frequent or severe than usual.
On a good day, use the window to build strength and walk further, without overdoing it. A hot shower in the morning and short movement breaks through the day help more than one long session.
What does a home visit look like?
The physiotherapist comes at a time that suits your joints, which for most people is later in the morning once the stiffness has eased. We talk through your medicines, your flares and what you most want back.
We then watch how you stand, walk, grip and do your usual tasks in your own kitchen and bathroom. That shows us which household changes will save your joints, such as a lighter pot, a tap lever or a higher seat. Read how a visit runs on our home physiotherapy page.
When should you see your doctor first?
See your doctor promptly if a joint becomes suddenly hot, red and very swollen, if you have a fever with joint pain, or if new weakness, numbness or trouble gripping appears. These may need a change in treatment.
Our page on when to seek medical care lists signs that should not wait. If you are not yet diagnosed and joints are swollen for weeks, ask a doctor to check before starting exercise.
Questions families ask
Send your question on WhatsApp if it is not here. Home visits are available across Ipoh now, and our Canning Garden centre is opening soon.