Arthritis Ireland has got the dancing bug and has enlisted the help of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star Claire King to get its members moving
YORKSHIRE-BORN actress Claire King was in Dublin at the weekend to launch a new free ballroom dancing programme for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
The former star of Emmerdale Farmand sprightly fortysomething celebrity dancer on Strictly Come Dancinghas used her personal experience of rheumatoid arthritis to promote the benefits of exercise for those with the condition.
“A lot of people believe that exercise will damage their joints further, but it helps you become more flexible and supple and it dulls the pain,” says King who has had arthritis since she was in her 30s.
King first got aches in her finger joints which later spread into the base of her feet. “I take anti-inflammatory medication and some food supplements. It’s really about looking after yourself well – like wearing gloves when it’s cold and keeping my feet well padded. Comfort is a big priority alongside exercise.”
A keen horsewoman and swimmer, King has always prioritised exercise but became more acutely aware of its benefits when arthritis set in. Currently in rehearsal for Jack and The Beanstalkin Middlesbrough (she's the wicked fairy), she has also been touring with The Naked Truth– a play about five women who take pole dancing classes.
Not afraid of showing a raunchier side to her character, King became a popular contestant alongside professional dancer Brendan Cole during their nine-week run in the hit UK series, Strictly Come Dancing. Both in rehearsal and on stage, she showed incredible flexibility and strength during the dance routines.
"I think the series has made dancing more popular again. And for people with arthritis, it gives people a chance to look after their health, learn a new skill and have fun," she says. And so King became the perfect choice for Arthritis Ireland when the charity decided to launch its new ballroom dancing programme, Let's Dance.
“Our main focus in Arthritis Ireland is self-management, and research has found that keeping active and doing exercise is one of the best ways of relieving pain,” says Lisa Mehigan from Arthritis Ireland.
“The winter months were harsh last year and we wanted to offer people a fun and sociable way of exercising,” she adds. Mehigan also mentions a recent Swiss study that found adults who were prone to falling benefited from participating in a music-based exercise programme.
The researchers from the Faculty of Medicine in Geneva based their study on instructor-led classes where participants walked in time to the music with different rhythms. They concluded that participation in the classes over six months improved gait performance, balance and reduced the rate and risk of falling.
In Ireland, about 40,000 people are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune condition that there currently isn’t a cure for. At its most severe, rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic pain, fatigue and disfigurement of the joints.
John Church, chief executive of Arthritis Ireland, says, "We're delighted to launch the Let's Dancecampaign. Being diagnosed with arthritis can be an upsetting time. However, remaining active and positive can really aid improvement in both mental and physical health.
“Claire King is a great example of someone who has continued to live a full and successful life despite her condition and we hope her involvement in our campaign will help encourage others to do the same.”
* Arthritis Ireland's one-hour long Let's Danceclasses take place in the locations mentioned below. Tickets are free and available on a first come, first served basis. To apply for tickets, contact Arthritis Ireland on tel: 01-6188455 or e-mail letsdance@arthritisireland.ie
Let's Danceclasses will be held in the Stillorgan Park Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin on January 15th; the Carlton Hotel, Galway, on January 22nd; the Gresham Metropole Hotel, Cork, on January 29th; the Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, on February 5th; the Tower Hotel, Waterford, on February 12th; the Talbot Hotel, Wexford, on February 19th; and the Citywest Hotel, Dublin, on February 26th.
