Skating with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis? | Golden Skate

Skating with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

joyasada

Spectator
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Hello,

I've skated for 6 years, from 8 to 14 years old, and then quit due to outside circumstances. In the period of time after I quit, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The inflammation began in just my finger joints, and now, after 4 years, it has slowly spread to my wrists and toes as well. However, this is partially because I did not take the medication recommended by the doctor since I was interested in trying acupuncture as an alternative solution.

I am now getting back on the medication to control my arthritis, and I am interested in picking up figure skating again. My doctor did not give me a clear yes or no answer as to whether I could skate or not, so I am concerned as to how it would affect my arthritis. Has anyone had experience figure skating with arthritis?

The cold does make things worse but I was thinking I could just purchase really good heat-tech gear or something. Any advice on what gear to purchase? (especially gloves and socks that help retain heat!)

I really love skating and would do anything to get back on the ice, and would appreciate any advice!
 

Bill S

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
United-States
I have severe osteoarthritis, not rheumatoid, so take this information with a "grain of salt".

My toes developed severe osteoarthritis in my early 60s, and I had my big-toe and little-toe joints on my right foot removed in surgery. The left foot wasn't affected as severely, but it now has become almost as bad as the right. It's bone-on-bone and can occasionally flare up.

I skate at a seasonal rink. During the off-season, I must travel to skate so I can't skate 5x per week like I desire. If I haven't been skating much, getting back on the ice can be painful - even for the surgically treated right foot. During the time that I skate frequently, I have far fewer issues with joint pain.

So, in my case, skating is therapeutic. I don't know that it slows the disease, but I certainly develop tolerance for it.

If you have a surgery like I did or for a newer development like Cartiva implants (for osteo), you will be off the ice for a year - just so that you know.
 

NanaPat

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Canada
Nicole Watt was a Canadian figure skater who had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. As I recall correctly, it was said at the time that skating actually helped her control her arthritis symptoms. According to wikipedia, she retired from skating because of the arthritis.

She has a wikipedia article
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicole_Watt

I don't see much online from the time she was actually skating.
 

rosy14

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 2, 2016
Mai Mihara is reported to suffer from the condition, which affected her course both in junior and senior. This year she didn’t compete at all for that, but now she has started to skate again.
Y
 
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