As a chef who suffers from arthritis and therefore knows firsthand some of the daily challenges that arthritis sufferers may face, I’m sharing some tips that can help relieve pain from arthritis.  Helpful tips can also be found on Arthriving.com, a new website developed by the makers of Aleve®.  Arthriving.com champions innovation and progress in arthritis-friendly product design and features products that help make living with arthritis more manageable.  Visit Arthriving.com for smart solutions and innovations to make living life with arthritis easier.

Tips for the Kitchen:

1. To help with arthritis pain and potential flare-ups, a great idea is to look for recipes offering minimal chopping or advanced preparation, so each piece can be spaced out over time.[i]
2. When preparing meals and sides, look to use a food processor or specialty tools whenever possible.  A food processor can cut, chop, or slice ingredients and can help avoid the arthritis pain usually associated with these tasks.ⁱⁱ
3. Many stores offer the option of pre-chopped vegetables – an alternative that can help avoid additional kitchen work and cleanup.ⁱ
4. A stool in the kitchen can be a great help.  Cooking can be a long process, and when pain becomes too great, a short rest where you can continue to work can come in handy.ⁱ
5. Try to eliminate unnecessary bending by storing pots and pans on wall hooks or from pot hangers on the ceiling.[ii]
6. To help reduce back and leg pain, use a rubber mat to stand on when you’re cooking at the stove.ⁱⁱ
7. Use a small kitchen funnel to separate egg yolks from the whites. Crack the egg into a funnel which is placed over a glass.  When the egg is broken, the yolk will stay in the funnel while the white slides into the glass.ⁱⁱ .
8. If a bottle of sauce requires shaking before use, simply roll it instead. Use your forearm and the weight of your body to roll the bottle if your hands are sore. ⁱⁱ
9. Use a Lazy Susan to store your spices and canned goods so that you can easily find items without having to move heavy cans. ⁱⁱ
10. Try a hand-held electric drink mixer instead of a whisk if it is too painful. Mixers are often lightweight and have thick handles.ⁱⁱ

General Tips Beyond the Kitchen:

1. If it’s difficult to get into and out of the bathtub, place a towel on the edge of the tub. Then sit on it and swivel in and out of the tub.[iii]
2. Replace doorknobs with handles. This will allow you to use your elbow and forearm to open the door, rather than having to twist a knob.ⁱⁱ
3. Position lighter, easy-to-handle items in cupboards on the upper shelves and the heavier items on the lower shelves so that they’re easier to get.ⁱⁱ
4. Buy smaller trash cans and bags that have handles. When it is time to empty the trash, slip your arms through the handles and pull the bag out.ⁱⁱ
5. Create a dust mop by stapling your dust rag to a gift-wrap tube. This will help to avoid bending and stooping when dusting high and low places.[iv]
6. Wear an old pair of gloves or socks on your hands for dusting instead of using hard-to-grip dust rags.^iv
7. If you have trouble holding a heavy drinking glass, try using long, bendable straws that enable you to drink from a glass without picking it up.[v]
8. Keep a disk-shaped rubber jar opener in the car.  It can be used to twist off a gas cap when you need to fill up your tank.[vi]
9. Car seats with vinyl and leather tend to be easier to move around in. If your car has cloth seats, consider purchasing a vinyl seat covering.^vi
10. When shopping for clothing, look for apparel that is lined, as lined clothes are easier to slip off and on.ⁱⁱⁱ