Arthritis Self-Management

Working

by Wendy McBrair, BSN, MS, CHES

Arthritis can take a toll on many aspects of your life, not least your ability to work. When you first realize that arthritis is affecting you, it can cause you significant worry. If you’re already working, you may find yourself wondering whether you will be able to continue at your job. If you’re looking for work, you may wonder whether arthritis will affect the kind of job you’ll be able to do. As you consider the impact of arthritis on your working life, questions such as the following may naturally arise:

• How much does (or will) my arthritis affect my job performance?
• Are there changes I can make in the work environment to help me better deal with my arthritis?
• Should I tell my boss or other coworkers about my arthritis?
• Would learning new job skills make it easier for me to work?
• Should I try to find a new job?
• Are there laws that can protect me in the workplace?
• What if I can’t work at all? How will I support myself and my family?

Continuing to work

Most people who have been diagnosed with arthritis will be able to continue to work at their current job, perhaps with a few minor changes. Others, however, will find they have a more difficult challenge ahead of them. People who have physically demanding jobs, for example, may find it impossible to continue to work. If they have to lift heavy objects, bend, stoop, or do repetitive procedures for the entire workday, they are at risk of exacerbating many types of arthritis, from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis to tendinitis and bursitis. They are also more apt to need to make changes in their work environment, type of work, or work schedule once the arthritis begins to affect their productivity and cause them pain. Individuals with less physically demanding jobs may find their arthritis less difficult to manage throughout the day. Working at the computer, teaching, advising, and researching are just a few of the types of jobs that are usually easier on the joints and more easily modified to lessen the impact of arthritis. But no matter what your job, pain, fatigue, and joint swelling or damage can make working a real challenge. Here are some ways to take control of the situation.

First steps. Most people will want to try their hardest to keep working (preferably at the same job) because of the many benefits of employment — not only the income and the health insurance and retirement plans, but also the socialization, mental stimulation, and self-esteem that work can provide. The first step is to make sure you’re getting the medical treatment you need. Talk to your doctor and find out if changes in your treatment plan — different medicines, for example — might make your working life easier, or if a few sessions with a physical therapist (PT) or an occupational therapist (OT) might help. (I’ll come back a little later to how PTs and OTs can help.)

The hope is that with good care, arthritis will become a more manageable part of your life. All the same, once arthritis begins to affect your work, it’s a good idea to investigate other possibilities within your workplace. If you are a nurse, for instance, you may find it difficult to walk the nursing-unit floors for an entire shift, lift patients, and so on. Perhaps there are positions available for nurses in management, supervision, infection- or quality-control, or education. Perhaps cutting back, either permanently or temporarily, to a part-time position or working from home one or two days a week would be acceptable options. Or how about a short leave of absence, until a medicine takes effect or until surgery helps you to function positively in a work environment again? The message here is to try, as much as possible, to be flexible within your present work environment, especially if you like your job, your employer, and your fellow employees.

PTs, OTs, and other options. If your doctor will refer you to a PT, the PT can teach you how to manage pain better and devise an exercise program for you that will help improve how well you function. If you are able to see an OT, you’ll have a tremendous resource for trying to adapt to working with arthritis. An OT can teach you how to pace yourself and how to hold and move your body so that you reduce stress on your joints and conserve energy throughout the day. An OT can also recommend devices that help you carry out various tasks. Something as simple as a pencil with a wider grip or a specially designed computer keyboard can make a big difference in your job performance.

Job training is another option. In some cases, you may have to learn to perform your job in a new way or look into another, less strenuous job. In either case, you may need training to help you make the transition. All states have vocational rehabilitation programs that can help train or retrain people with disabilities, allowing them either to keep a job or learn skills to get a new job. See “Resources” for information on how to contact these programs to find out what they offer and if you are eligible.

Last Reviewed on September 1, 2010

Wendy McBrair spent 30 years as a health-care professional in the fields of rheumatology and orthopedics, where she specialized in patient and community service, patient education, and advocacy.

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