Inflammatory arthritis appeared when I was first pregnant. I woke one day with hands that looked like pink bunches of bananas, roasting hot and almost impossible to move. At the time I worked as a doctor on a respiratory ward. We did lots of fiddly interventions; chest drains requiring needles, wires, tiny 3 way taps and flimsy tubes with tough connectors. These jobs are for dextrous hands and were agony to do. Over months it got worse.

For me arthritis causes an exquisite, searing pain radiating out electric shock-like each time I move an affected joint. Some days the stiffness involves one unlucky finger and others include my hips, spine, shoulders, wrists and feet making getting out of bed almost impossible. It’s a furtive disease with often little to see on the outside but inside we feel merciless blades slashing indiscriminately at our cartilages.

It is utterly crap when you have a flare and can’t easily do your usual stuff like opening toothpaste, pulling up your trousers, wiping your bum or locking the front door. 

We know that fresh air, exercise and having fun is good for our mental health, but also has been proven to improve some symptoms of arthritis. And, as I’m such a massive fan of all things camping I wanted to explore it here a bit. 

#Butyoudontlooksick

So, most of us with joint diseases aren’t in the SAS and don’t need to go all out into the tundra with nothing but a tarpaulin and a single match. We can still have a great deal of fun and sense of achievement with a bit of planning and a few creature comforts. 

1) Boss the camp-fiddly-things

If arthritis affects your hands I have found these things help when your fingers and thumbs are all clumsy.

Carabiners are amazing. I use them to hook over tent pegs to pull them out of the ground, attach to the tent zipper for easier opening, hang stuff up, attach things to yourself or bags and to hang up hammocks and tarps.

Keep your pen knife sharp so you need less force to cut things.

Use old school long cook’s matches. They give you more time between striking and burning your finger and are easier than most lighters for arthritic hands. 

Use a torch that you find easy to turn on.

Keep your paws warm. I use fingerless compression gloves, hand warmers and merino over gloves. They are warm but fine enough that you can still hold things. 

Cuddle a cup of tea.

2) Be prepared 

Have a go at pitching your tent at home first

If you struggle with bending take a tent you can stand in.

Pre-tie guy ropes and any knots that you can to reduce the amount of cold fiddling you need to do.

Choose food in packets you can open easily.

3) Take your bed seriously 

Arthritis stiffness if worse in the morning and waking up as warm and comfortable as possible helps.

I have camped at least once a month this year and finally think I have my perfect bed set up: 

•Rollmat •Air mat •Down sleeping bag •Silk inner sleeping bag• Pillow•Pjs• Hat •Gloves and…. (hideous but amazingly warm) down booties

I fidget too much for a camp bed, but others swear by them as the give you a firm base and lift you up off the ground.

Take some time lying around on your living room floor trying different options before you go. 

 

5) Make an ‘arthritis first aid kit’ for yourself and don’t forget your meds

In mine are:

Compression gloves

Cooling gel/deep heat cream (careful around the fire though!!) – I’ve definitely maybe probably never used a cotton wool pad soaked in cool gel to light a fire … I mean it works but it’s not recommended!!

Massage cream

Painkillers 

Cohesive bandage – I find these really useful for supporting sore wrists.

Alcohol gel and hand soap – lots of us are on immunosuppressants so its even more important to keep our hands clean.

6) Keep moving and stretch! 

After a busy day setting up camp and stomping about in fields it’s easy to just collapse into bed.

Try to remember to stretch before hunkering down. 

7) Talk to your campmate and let them know what you might need help with

It may not be obvious to them that you struggle with certain things. They could be your pit pony and carry the heavy stuff and you could be setting up for dinner. Our arthritis doesn’t have to be a secret.

7) Bums and cold ground -definitely don’t mix

Bring a camping chair so you can chill and eat in comfort…or if you don’t mind the floor a small foam mat is good to sit on.

9) There is never any harm in having a plan B and a spare extra layer

10) Just give it a go, pace yourself and enjoy