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Introduction

Arthritis in the Kitchen

Food preparation can be a nightmare for the arthritic; or it can be just the kind of exercise your joints need to keep them strong. Here are a few tips.

Keep your fingers arched, wrists more or less straight, and elbows hanging. This applies to all the stations in the kitchen, from the cutting board to the sink, cooker/stove/range and pastry area.

Kneading dough can be an good calisthenic. Take up the mass between your hands and fold it, rather than working it by pushing down upon a counter. This is the perfect thing for hands to do in between sessions at the keyboard.

Try to find and use saucepans and pots that have a center of gravity below the handle, so that you don't have to fight their tendency to overturn with your wrist. This design problem is common. Pots with a bail handle always hang straight, of course. We recommend these for your large configuration pots.

Take your time. The hardest thing to learn is how to stay below your inflammation threshold, while still doing what you must. Often this just means being very efficient and economical of movement.

Rest when you need to.

For some knife techique tips, see our On the Board.

Table of Contents

More Intro:

On Frugality | On Cookery | On the Board | Keeping it Fresh | Keeping it Dried | On Nightshades | On Protein | On Water |