Achieving Wellness Through Arthritis

Chris Pudlak is a licensed mechanical engineer, husband, and father of three. Since his diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis, he has strived to be a champion for arthritis awareness and wellness. He is currently a member of Arthritis Research Canada's Patient Advisory Board, and stays active with running, cycling, swimming, and hiking with his family and their dog, a Vizsla named Stella.

After a year of escalating back pain, I was suddenly hit with severe arthritis in my hands, back, knees, and feet. Being in my mid-thirties, I was used to running 10Ks and cycling to work. Now, it took two hands, wincing through pain, to turn the key to the ignition in my car. I was limping around the house, not wanting to go anywhere. After a diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis, I was faced with a lifetime of illness and serious medications. However, the onset of symptoms suggested some clear triggers to the disease. I put my engineering hat on, started researching, and testing diets, activities, and lifestyles. I tried everything to get rid of my arthritis. It took years, but I eventually recovered and feel stronger than ever before. And while my arthritis is not cured, and often lies just below the surface, I find refuge in an assortment of techniques to manage it without medication. Greatest of all, I can now share what I have learned.