My first personal experience with arthritis came from bowling. Not that bowling caused it. Just that I had it diagnosed after bowling.

I was on a church bowling team for several years and never had any problem. I didn’t throw the big curve, but had some rotation. One night my knuckles swelled up so much that the ball stuck on my hand and one time it didn’t come off at the bottom but did at the top and flew 10 feet high before striking the lane.

Needless to say, there was a doctor’s appointment as a result. He told me I had arthritis in my hands and that I should refrain from activities like bowling.

So I haven’t bowled for many years. I do participate in activities like woodworking that do cause some discomfort, but I feel fortunate that my condition is not real bad. I know others, like my former neighbor’s kids, who have severe issues with arthritis.

So how about you? When did you first discover that you had arthritis? How did it affect your life? Leave a post here.