Arthritis: adapting for the workplace
If you have arthritis, you may feel fatigue and a lack of endurance; you may be in pain and get very tired, very quickly. This means that having arthritis could affect your work. To what extent depends on the type and severity of the arthritis, and how much help you may require to continue in your work, if continuing is an option.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists can offer workplace advice to help people with arthritis work as comfortably as possible.
For example, depending on the type of arthritis and the joints affected, you can get help to find out the options for joint protection to reduce the rate at which deformity can occur (for example, to the hand). It is important to get advice early on so that damage to joints is minimised.
Questions for you
You may already be working, need to look for a new job or have been ill for a while and want to re-join the workforce. Arthritis is unpredictable and there are a number of questions you need to answer in the beginning.
- Am I well enough to work?
- If so, what kind of work should I do?
- Will I need help or resources to do my job or a new job?
- Should I tell a prospective employer that I have arthritis?
Employers
Many employers are not aware of the needs of someone with arthritis in the workplace. They may be aware of a problem if you have an obvious sign such as swelling and redness, and most are sympathetic. But with an early diagnosis, sometimes symptoms are usually just pain and fatigue, which are less visible, and employers can be less than sympathetic.
Occupational therapists can visit the workplace and recommend options and resources for people remaining at, or returning to, work once diagnosed with arthritis. They can also discuss with employers the difficulties, options and requirements of employing a person with arthritis.
This could mean, for example, the option of aids for hand functions, so that you can manage tasks without external support, or shoulder straps for carrying or lifting objects. An occupational therapist can also determine whether you are positioned effectively for your role, particularly if you are seated for extended periods, and what resources you may need, for example, a telephone headset.
Depression
With the arthritis cycle of flares and remissions it can be difficult to hold down a job. There can be times where the condition is not well controlled. In particular, inflammatory types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis can be unpredictable. Employees may begin to take an increasing amount of time off and employers may become unsympathetic. Some people may lose their jobs and, if that happens, depression becomes a real threat. It's important, therefore, to try to find work that is realistic and sustainable for your condition.
What kind of work can I do?
The type of work that someone with arthritis should look for is very much dependent on the individual. It also depends on the person’s existing skills but, in general:
- look for a job that offers variety and the ability to change your physical position frequently. People with arthritis can get very stiff if forced to stay in one position too long;
- try to find a job that does not involve doing something repetitive as this places the same type of strain on the same joints;
- avoid jobs that involve activities where there is mechanical trauma to the joints, such as hammering or having to maintain a constant grip or sustained joint position; and
- try to find something that will allow you to take breaks when needed.
Many people with arthritis need a flexible job, and working from home may be the answer: computer work or telemarketing are just 2 choices to get back into the workforce. Many people are able to do volunteer work, which is a good way to start getting back your confidence and determining your fitness for full- or part-time paid work.
You should check whether returning to the workforce will affect any disability support payments you may have been receiving.
If you are already in work, discuss options for extra resources or any help you may need with your occupational health and safety officer or the person who is responsible for employee health in your workplace.
Lifestyle
Occupational therapy doesn’t just mean in the workplace; it covers anything people do in terms of their daily life. Whether domestic or personal, community or paid work, recreation, banking or transport requirements, there is help available to support you in your ability to perform the tasks and activities that are important to you.
Resources are available. Talk to your doctor or rheumatologist, and contact or join a support group: it helps to talk to others who have gone through the same thing. If you need the services of an occupational therapist, ask your doctor or rheumatologist or contact the government rehabilitation service or the occupational therapists' association.
Last Reviewed: 16 August 2009
