It happens to many people of all ages for differing reasons. Arthritis is usually diagnosed when joints have become so inflamed, stiff, and painful that the patient is compelled to get help or face limiting their activities. There are some new tips to manage arthritis better. But one of the things that people newly diagnosed with arthritis don’t think about is furniture.
There are some very good points to be made about furniture designed for joint pain. The hardware on drawer pulls, cabinet handles, and nightstands is extremely important for people with arthritis in the knuckles and joints of the hands. Likewise, sore knees and backs are much easier to cope with when you have furniture of the right height.
When you have first been diagnosed with arthritis and started treatment, you should not dismiss the idea of getting new furniture that is more comfortable to use. As you consider what furnishings you might want to replace your current interior décor, look for these important characteristics. This can be great whether you are suffering from juvenile arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
Bed height
Bed height is much more important than you might think. Arthritis and joint weakness in the knees can cause you to fall or be stuck on the bed if it isn’t of an appropriate height. Your doctors should tell you how to mitigate these issues by finding the right bed for you. When your knees are higher than your waist, you are sitting too low to the ground and will have great difficulty rising.
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The average bed height is about 25 inches, which is about right for people of average height. However, if you are very tall you may need a bigger bed, and if you are rather short you will need a shorter bed. In any case, for ultimate comfort and ease in rising your bed should be level with your knees when standing.
Storage bed options and hardware
Storage beds are becoming more and more popular and for good reason. Storage beds give the ability to stash seasonal items or eliminate a dresser with built-in drawers under the platform of the bed. They may have other storage features as well.
They are great for saving space, but not so much for those with back pain or difficulty bending. If you have issues with arthritic hands, the hardware of the drawers needs to be large enough that it is easy to grasp loosely and pull using primarily the palm of the hand for leverage.
A lot of storage beds have drawers stacked two high, and these could still be beneficial to you. They might seem too expensive, but if you order online, you can get a beds offer that significantly decreases the cost of storage beds and other versatile bedroom furniture. If you are single, you can store seasonal items in the lower drawers that you won’t access often, and store your everyday things in the upper drawers. If you share the bed with a partner that doesn’t have those issues, have them take the bottom drawers and keep the top ones for yourself.
On bad days you might still need help getting into those upper drawers, but most of the time you should be able to get in and out of them without too much trouble, especially if your clothing is well organized.