Jobs for Someone with Arthritis

Arthritis can be a frustrating and debilitating condition, and it can make certain jobs virtually impossible. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for people who suffer from arthritis and support that you may be able to access.

Arthritis can cause chronic pain as well as limit your movement, so some physical jobs could be out of the question, but there are employers who are happy to implement changes, and your rights as an employee state that they must make reasonable adjustments to allow you to work.

How Arthritis Affects Work

There are two main types of arthritis, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, which is caused by the wear and tear of joints over time. Inflammatory arthritis is caused by an autoimmune reaction in the body where the immune system attacks healthy cells.

While there are many different types of arthritis, the main symptoms are chronic pain, inflammation, and stiffness. This can make it difficult to do physical jobs that require a lot of movement or dexterity. It can also cause fatigue, which can make it hard to concentrate or work long hours, or take on a job with physical demands.

However, there are many jobs that can be done with arthritis, and there is support available to help you, and grants and schemes for specialist equipment.

Jobs for People with Arthritis

You are free to apply to work in whichever job want to pursue, and you don’t have to tell your employer at the time of applying unless it is relevant to the role and could cause danger if they don’t know, such as a role where your arthritis impairs your abilities to use a forklift or other heavy equipment.

The type of pain and symptoms you experience will play a big part in which role you opt for, too. You may find it easy to work on a computer, or you might find that this causes wrist and hand pain. Try to judge what might be best for you.

Examples of some jobs for arthritis sufferers include:

• Customer service. This usually involves a lot of talking rather than physical strain, so working in customer service can be good for arthritis sufferers.
• Writer or editor. If you can type and don’t mind sitting for long periods of time, then a job in writing or editing could be perfect for you, and it could give you a flexible schedule if you need to take breaks.
• Data entry. Data entry is another sedentary job that won’t put too much strain on your joints.
• Consultancy. If you have knowledge to share and communicate then you could become a consultant without too much physical strain.
• Tech support.  Many tech support roles can be done remotely, so you wouldn’t even have to leave the house.

There are many more jobs that could be suitable, and it’s worth considering working from home if you think this would be easier for you.

Start Your Job Search

Ready to start to search for a job that accommodates your arthritis? The best first step is to look for a disability-positive employer.

Our disability jobs board has many great positions from employers who are happy to support those with arthritis and other conditions, so you can start your hunt for the ideal role.