You know sore, achy joints are the hallmark of arthritis. But pain isn’t the only symptom people have to contend with. “In a lot of cases, people notice other things showing up before they ever have pain,” says Dr Kevin Shea, an orthopaedic surgeon. Here are the symptoms to watch out for so you can take steps to stop the condition from getting worse.
Stiffness
For many, arthritis begins as joint stiffness. “You try to bend or straighten the joint and it feels tight,” Shea says. This can strike any time (or all of the time) but tends to be worse early in the day – before you’ve had time to ‘warm up’ your joints, he adds.
Swelling
Compare your left wrist or knee to your right. If one looks bigger or puffier than the other – and assuming you didn’t recently injure it – that swelling could indicate osteoarthritis. “Sometimes people notice the swelling more towards the end of the day,” Shea says.
Fatigue
In cases of rheumatoid arthritis, your body’s immune system attacks your joint, which leads to inflammation, both acute (in or around your joint) and systemic (throughout your body), which can leave you feeling unusually fatigued.
Redness
In some cases, arthritis sufferers notice their joints look red or irritated – even if they’re not hurting. “This is the result of the inflammation of the joint,” explains Dr Milena Simic, senior lecturer in physiotherapy at the University of Sydney.
Poor range of motion
Your wrist or ankle seems less mobile than it used to be. Or maybe you reach for a high shelf and your shoulder doesn’t want to lift your arm above your head. “These range-of-motion issues – especially if accompanied by pain are often associated with arthritis,” Shea says. If your knee or wrist feels like its tendons are grinding on one another, that’s potentially another symptom.
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