Managing JIA as a Teen Athlete
As any high-level athlete knows, to be successful in your sport, there is enormous commitment required. That commitment includes hard work, intense athletic preparation, dedication, good nutrition, balanced recovery, and more. However, this is especially important for athletes who have juvenile arthritis.
All of these things I struggle with. Every day. At water polo tournaments, I’m often competing against other students who are older and more experienced than me. There are days where I get caught in my head, overthinking every move and decision that I made in the lead up to the tournament, and how I’m performing mid-match. The self-doubt never truly goes away, and as a result, I find myself listening to the darker thoughts in my head rather than my body. I can end up pushing myself too far because I end up prioritizing performance over health in the moment. Over the years, I have learned many different strategies for how to manage JIA as an athlete. If you, too, are an athlete who has been diagnosed with JIA, these tips might be helpful for you.
First, we have to talk about athletic preparation. This is a key concept for any athlete, but particularly for those with juvenile arthritis. Preparation includes stretching, not only to optimize performance, but also to avoid injury and to limit pain. Beyond this, sleep is incredibly important, and it should consist of at least 8 hours/night. (I realize that 8 hours of sleep per night, especially for student-athletes, can be a very challenging goal. I’ll be uploading a post about my experience with time management and sleep in the future).
Strength training is incredibly critical for improving overall health and performance, as well. Strength training includes lifting weights and body weight exercises. Beyond this, being positive and listening to your body is a must—specifically, being optimistic when things get hard and being cautious of when your body is telling you to stop. Injuries are the clearest sign that you need to scale back, but overwhelming fatigue that happens spontaneously, or unexpectedly decreasing performance can both be more subtle signs that it’s time to take a break.
Additionally, it is important to eat healthy, so your joint pain does not act up. Sugar has to be mitigated, especially sugary drinks, processed snacks, and fried food. Highly saturated and trans fats can also be harmful to your body and lead to increased inflammation. Instead, you should opt for whole foods, rich in vitamins, fiber, and healthy fats. Personally, I think it’s okay to eat sugar sometimes, but you should avoid it when possible. If you make these changes, you will notice the pain isn’t as bad. Hydration is equally important, but it’s also just generally good for being an athlete. Healthy choices for food absolutely include fruits, vegetables, and protein.
These are habits that are necessary for all athletes to develop. But again, they’re particularly important for those with juvenile arthritis to optimize their performance.
Finally, recovery during intense athletic training is critical. Hot versus cold treatments—heating pads and cold water— help with my inflammation. Periodical massages, acupuncture therapy, and physical therapy all help enormously. Even if you can’t access a physical therapist, there are only exercises available that use bands and resistance training to help you avoid cramps and develop muscle strength. Nutrition also mitigates cramps during workouts.
In summary, it is important to have a balanced diet, spend plenty of time stretching, preparing for athletic events, and time for recovery afterwards. And again, this is important for all athletes, but for those with immune compromised conditions like JIA, it is even more essential.
