In August 1996, Gloria Estefan sang about reaching for a dream when she performed “Reach” at the closing ceremony of the Atlanta Olympics. Two months later, the first World Arthritis Day took place. Thirty years on, the day’s theme is “Achieve Your Dreams”. For someone living with arthritis, the dream is often an everyday one, such as a morning walk without stiffness or being able to carry a grandchild. Working towards this can start with understanding how arthritis might affect the joints and knowing the options available to stay active.
This understanding often begins with clearing up misconceptions, and one of the most common is that arthritis is simply part of ageing, which leads many people to stop exercising and learn to live with the ache. To mark the occasion, Dr James Siow addressed this in his recent conversation with Lance Alexander on MONEY FM 89.3. He began with the common types of arthritis in Singapore, including osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which develop in different ways.
Since age isn’t the only factor, the discussion also covered the role of family history and whether arthritis can be reversed. Dr James Siow then turned to what people can do to look after their joints, including how diet, walking habits, and choice of footwear affect joint health, as well as when joint pain needs medical attention. Whatever someone with arthritis hopes to achieve, staying active involves making these choices part of daily life and knowing when to seek help.
Listen to Dr James Siow on Live Well ft. Lancer Alexander – Money FM 89.3.
