Hydration tips to live well with arthritis

January 2022

Staying hydrated by drinking enough fluids is important to live well with arthritis. Among other symptoms, dehydration may increase joint pain, affecting your joints' ability to function properly. 

Water is important to maintain cartilage in your bones and reduce joint inflammation. Water also helps create synovial fluid, a thin layer of fluid that cushions and delivers nutrition to your joints. Synovial fluid reduces friction when you move your joints. Less synovial fluid can result in increased friction which can cause joint pain, inflammation and stiffness.

Our friends at Creaky Joints have summarised five simple tips for making hydration a habit:

1. Set reminders to drink water at regular intervals throughout the day using your phone, smartwatch or fitness tracker.
2. Give yourself visual cues by putting up reminders in easy-to-see places throughout your house. For example, you can put sticky notes that read 'Time to hydrate!' on your bedroom door or on your fridge. 
3. Set attainable goals for yourself - hourly goals may feel more manageable than setting a large goal like drinking a certain number of litres per day.
4. Do challenges with other people who want to reach a similar goal - if your family, friends, or co-workers want to reach a similar water intake goal, you can try creating a group to keep each other motivated and accountable.
5. Add some pep to your water - make a colourful fix by adding fresh fruit, cucumbers or mint. This can not only help you get more excited about drinking water, it also keeps you hydrated. You may also want to try eating more water-rich foods such as celery, lettuce, zucchini and watermelon. For more tips on how you can flavour your water and keep yourself hydrated, check out Healthier.Happier's article '5 ways to make water more colourful'.

Visit Creaky Joints to read their full article 'Dehydration and Arthritis: How Not Drinking Water Affects Your Joints'.

Related articles:

Healthy Snack Hacks
Healthy Eating for Health and Wellbeing
Eating Right For Your Arthritis: Which foods may ease your symptoms?

References:
Creaky Joints - Dehydration and Arthritis: How Not Drinking Water Affects Your Joints https://creakyjoints.org/living-with-arthritis/lifestyle/dehydration-and-arthritis/
Healthier.Happier - 5 Ways to Make Water More Colourful https://www.healthier.qld.gov.au/guide/5-ways-to-make-water-more-colourful/