Maintaining and cultivating new hobbies can help with joint pain, but Walid Alhoussan advises a measured approach is best at the start.
Joint pain poses a unique problem in pursuing hobbies and other personal projects. A decline in dexterity can make fine detail work difficult, and pain may limit the amount of time available for leisure or side hustles. Despite any new limitations, Dr Walid Alhoussan advises maintaining existing hobbies or finding alternating pursuits is important to retain mobility and for mental health.
As a physician, Alhoussan has treated many types of joint pain and also performs joint infiltration procedures to assist in pain management. He also believes in the power of activity to manage pain and promote dexterity. However, there are certain points to consider before investing too heavily in a new routine.
Walid Alhoussan on starting new hobbies safely with joint pain
Look at adaption for existing hobbies
Starting new hobbies is great, and there will likely be a need to find new options to replace some favored pursuits that are no longer possible. However, when joint pain is still new, there may be an opportunity to adapt existing hobbies into a new variation of the old routine.
For example, if gardening is a passion project but crawling on the ground is difficult these days, look up. Consider starting a container garden that can be managed sitting in a chair or standing. Look at elevated garden beds and invest in tools that better accommodate sensitivities. New gardening techniques, such as hydroponics and other pod systems, can also pleasure growing flowers and food without the rigor of a full garden plot.
Start slow
Certain hobbies, such as knitting and painting, are frequently pursued by those with joint issues. They can still require detailed work but also have the fluidity to accommodate any dexterity issues.
When just getting started, do not overdo it, Walid Alhoussan suggests. Muscles and tendons are creatures of habit, and while holding knitting needles and paint brushes isn’t the same as strength training, over hours, they can exacerbate problems. Practice for a small chunk of time in the beginning and then add on ten minutes every couple of weeks until reaching the desired level of participation.
Mix it up
It’s always best to have more than one hobby to keep all joints in motion and have a more varied routine. Walid Alhoussan advises that when some activities are sedentary, such as painting, it is important to develop an active secondary hobby, such as gardening, tai chi, gentle yoga or walking, to maintain conditioning and stay well.