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It\u2019s just three weeks until Strictly Come Dancing starts again, and Adam Thomas has spoken out about his attempts to get into shape for the series, admitting that sometimes it is a bit of a struggle.<\/p>\n
The Emmerdale and Waterloo Road actor, 35, was announced as one of the 15 new celebrities who\u2019ll be taking to the dancefloor from September 23.<\/p>\n
He will be joining the likes of Angela Scanlon, Amanda Abbington, Layton Williams, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Angela Rippon.<\/p>\n
However, despite aiming to make it far in the competition, Adam has revealed that his recently diagnosed arthritis has left him \u2018not in the best shape\u2019 to compete.<\/p>\n
Adam announced in August that he had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory autoimmune condition, which can impact movement and left many fans wondering if he\u2019d be able to take to the dancefloor this year.<\/p>\n
However, on Monday, the actor posted a shirtless photo of himself after a session in a swimming pool, letting everyone know how he\u2019s doing in the run-up to Strictly.<\/p>\n
Flexing his bicep, he wrote: \u2018A very rare sight \u2013 me with my top off!\u2019<\/p>\n
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He then went into much greater detail about how arthritis has affected his training for the series and how it might affect him going forward.<\/p>\n
\u2018I need to get comfortable feeling uncomfortable! I\u2019m not in the best shape of my life but I could be worse.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018This year has been tough \u2013 but I\u2019ve just got to stay focused now. <\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019m still struggling and the pain is still there but I\u2019m putting on a brave face.\u2019<\/p>\n
The symptoms of the condition involve stiffness, swelling, and pain in the affected joints \u2013 it is incurable but symptoms can be eased with treatment and medication.<\/p>\n
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.\u00a0The condition\u00a0usually affects the hands, feet and wrists.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes symptoms can \u2018flare up\u2019 and become worse, which can be difficult to predict.<\/p>\n With treatment, it\u2019s possible to decrease how much this happens and minimise or prevent long-term damage to the joints.<\/p>\n Other more general symptoms include tiredness and weight loss.<\/p>\n Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis early on is important, as early treatment can help reduce the risk of joint damage.<\/p>\n It is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system mistakenly attacks cells which line your joints, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness.<\/p>\n Over time it can affect not only joints and cartilage but also bone.<\/p>\n While there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, early diagnosis and treatments can allow sufferers months or even years between flare-ups.<\/p>\n Medicine, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy help keep people mobile, and surgery may be required to help any joint problems that may develop.<\/p>\n Depending on the severity of your arthritis, people may be forced to adapt how they do everyday tasks.<\/p>\n Complications include the potential of rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0to lead to other conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, inflammation of other parts of the body (eyes, lungs, heart), and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.<\/p>\n He continued: \u2018Swimming helps me so much with my arthritis. I mean, as much as it kills me getting my top off and going for a swim, I know it\u2019s helping me.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018I know it\u2019s also helping me deal with the issues I\u2019ve got with me and my body. Which is a good thing,\u2019 he concluded his statement. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, one of Adam\u2019s competitors, Krishnan Guru-Murthy has revealed he consulted his doctor after worrying about \u2018dropping dead\u2019 during the series.<\/p>\n The Channel 4 news presenter, who has genetic heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, said he had to keep his heart rate out of \u2018the red zone\u2019.<\/p>\n