Isaac's story: "Liberating because I was the one dictating my path"

Something clicked and I felt like me again 

Isaac Selby-Burton, 29, London was diagnosed with reactive arthritis when he was 11 after suffering with salmonella then, four months later, with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Finding the gym at 18 was ‘life-changing’, building his strength and mobility and inspiring his career as a personal trainer. He now provides arthritis specific coaching to others to help them empower themselves.

"I started with this 18 years ago and I don’t think there was that understanding, even amongst medical professionals, that young people whereas now people are spreading that message that it can affect anyone. Arthritis UK’s TikTok challenge is a really great idea, anything that gets people moving and highlights the condition, particularly the fact that it affects younger people.

At 11, I got really bad salmonella, all the regular symptoms cleared but a few weeks later, my wrist was hurting, then my knee became swollen and painful. The doctor chucked a cast on my wrist for a suspected hairline fracture but over the next few months, the pain got worse and I became less mobile until I was referred to a rheumatologist who said I had reactive arthritis.

I was due at school in the September so I obviously battled through the pain, tried to smile and be outgoing to make friends but it was hard at that key time in life. My attendance was really bad from year 7 to 11 but I did okay, got good grades and had lots of friends. It’s like I was missing so much; I’d double my efforts when I was there but, looking back, it was exhausting.

Being in the 10%

The rheumatologist said nine in 10 children grow out of reactive arthritis within a year but I was in that 10% that didn’t and they reclassified my condition as JIA at around 14 which was crushing to be honest. At that time, I didn’t have medication that was working and was in so much pain so my world collapsed when I thought that it was going to be like that forever.

I was definitely depressed and I don’t think that was really addressed at the time but I felt so lost because, at that point, I had only known extreme pain and the volatility of arthritis and I believed it wasn’t going to change.

I went on methotrexate at 12 but it didn’t help and made me really nauseous so it got to the point I stopped taking it when I was around 15. At 16 I got my first biologic, etanercept (Enbrel) which didn’t have a huge effect, but I’ve been on other biologics, currently rinvoq, which have been life-changing and I’m aware not everyone has such a positive response so I feel very lucky."

The gym proved a game changer

"I was 18 when I first went to the gym and that was a total game changer, super empowering. When I was growing up, I felt like a passenger in my own body, waking up every day not knowing if I’d be in pain, able to make it down the stairs, was horrific. I’m sure a lot of people will be able to relate to that unpredictability, not knowing what arthritis has in store for you from one day to the next.

Being able to use my body felt amazing, liberating because I was the one dictating my path. I’d been at the mercy of arthritis for seven years and now I was back in the driving seat. Something clicked and I felt like me again, in tune with myself, in control and untethered. 

I got stronger, gained mobility and experiencing those positive outcomes first-hand made me want to give that to other people. Now I work with others with arthritis facing similar challenges, ultimately turning a negative into a positive, taking that horrible lived experience and my professional training and creating a package to help other people."

Working to build strength

"When I first started at the gym, I was worried about doing more harm than good. When I found work arounds and understood what techniques worked, I felt it would be a shame not to take others on that journey with me and hopefully give them that same relief and sense of control. I currently provide plans with adaptations, workout videos through an app with demonstrations, specific instructions, providing people with the know-how and confidence to perform at home or in the gym.

The plan is to unlock their potential, build resistance and resilience and, ultimately, give arthritis the middle finger. It’s not a silver bullet but it works for the majority and can definitely help mitigate the onset of flares for joints that have not yet been affected. I want people to know we can continue to move, to develop strength, and I’m at the point where I’m near the ability of someone who doesn’t have arthritis."

Mental wellbeing and fortitude

"The gym isn’t just about physical benefits, it develops mental toughness, fortitude. I’m doing things I never thought I’d be able to do: a couple of half marathons this year. You don’t need to be all or nothing, I just feel like I owe it to my former self. If I could tell that 11-year-old boy just diagnosed with arthritis what I’m doing now I think it would have been very inspiring for him.

I do know the gym can seem intimidating, cliquey, from the outside but nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve always found it one of the most inclusive and wholesome spaces where people jump at the opportunity to help and everyone is just there to better themselves. 

I think Arthritis UK is a super special organisation doing an amazing job in fostering a community that’s always there, a space where people can experience peer-to-peer support, get pointed in the right direction with any questions. They are also building that awareness from the public and medical professionals that arthritis is only for the older generation.

Arthritis UK really has helped buck that trend and re-educate people which is a super important message that can lead to people getting the right help sooner and feeling like they are not alone on this journey."

You can read more about Isaac and how he helps others to train at Versus Limits or find him on Instagram @versuslimits