Oscar's story: Personal trainer refuses to let arthritis define him

Oscar Stevenson, 33, from London, was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis in 2023 but admits that, initially, he was ‘100% in denial’. As a personal trainer, he couldn’t contemplate a future where fitness and strength were not at the heart of his identity.

Oscar Stevenson, 33, from Shepherd’s Bush, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2023 but admits that, initially, he was ‘100% in denial’. As a personal trainer, he couldn’t contemplate a future where fitness and strength were not at the heart of his identity.

Since finding the right medication, Oscar’s condition is in remission. He’s currently training for Barcelona Marathon in March 2026 and, all being well, a 24-hour ultra-marathon in June and is fitter and stronger than ever. He’s now keen to use his experience to offer hope and inspire others with arthritis.

‘It’s important people don’t feel alone when managing these conditions because it can be so isolating, Arthritis UK are creating awareness.’ 

‘I thought it was just training injuries’

I noticed I was feeling stiff all the time around June 2022 but I train hard, I lift heavy weights, so just put it down to muscle soreness. Then my index finger started this weird clicking sensation when I flexed but, again, I was doing a lot of Jiu Jitsu so, even when it started to swell, I put it down to that.

Then, one morning in August, I went to get out of bed and my feet just wouldn’t work, I couldn’t stand, it was like someone had smashed a baseball bat into both soles. Still, I didn’t piece it all together. I know a lot of sports therapists because of my work, who had a lot of theories but psoriatic arthritis was never one of them. Even though it had popped up a couple of times when I researched my symptoms, the sports therapists also assumed it was injury related.

The devastating diagnosis he refused to accept

I’d already seen two GPs who gave me horrendous advice but it wasn’t until September I got a referral to a Muscular Skeletal Therapist and had an appointment in November. When he did an ultrasound on my feet and fingers the inflammation was obvious. Then, he called a rheumatologist into the room who found a couple of patches of psoriasis on my scalp which I’d always assumed was dandruff. That’s when they told me they believed I had Psoriatic Arthritis and made it clear that the only way to manage it was medication.

Even then, I remember thinking they must be wrong. I was 100% in denial, couldn’t accept I might have a lifelong condition. I’m a personal trainer, a yoga teacher, fit and strong, and I think that’s what made the journey so very challenging for me. So convinced they’d misdiagnosed me, I saw my childhood GP a few weeks later and asked for steroid injections for my finger but he insisted on an MRI. I paid privately and that scan showed Tenosynovitis, severe inflammation in the sheath around my tendon which I still put down to Jiu Jitsu.

The steroid did relieve the pain but five days later my right index finger began to swell. I’d not done Jiu Jitsu for weeks so that was then I started accepting the diagnoses of a lifelong condition, when I knew I wasn’t just going to ‘heal'.

While on the waiting list to see Rheumatology, I went to Thailand and tried some alternative healing but was in pain all the time. I tried to hide it but remember struggling to walk down the stairs one day and a guy commenting that he could see I was in pain which was really upsetting. Being fit and strong is who I am and having that taken away was so tough.

Back at home in April, I was at the supermarket and tried to pick up a pack of water bottles from a high shelf. I couldn’t do it and realized I couldn’t deny it anymore, I was in trouble.

The swelling was always one of the biggest concerns for me, there were days I couldn’t move my fingers, 18 months where I couldn’t make a fist with either hand and the idea of permanent damage was devastating.

In May I saw a private rheumatologist who recommended methotrexate, usually the first drug recommended because it’s cheap and effective but the possible side effects, hair loss, vomiting, really worried me. In the end there were no side effects and it did help but not enough, life still wasn’t manageable.

The NHS pathway meant I had to take another disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) which, again, didn’t work so in January 2024 they prescribed Adalimumab, a biologic, and within a month I was strong man training. It was wild, the pain disappeared and before long the swelling went down although my right index finger is permanently a little disfigured.

I’m currently fitter and stronger than ever, training for Barcelona Marathon next March and a 24-hour Ultramarathon next June. Although I’m taking medication that suppresses my immune system, I’ve had no side effects. I feel very fortunate to have found medication that works so well, I’m in remission but am smart enough to recognize I’m not invincible.

Constant pain was tough and I had to take it a day at a time. There were times when I felt despair but I was always hopeful I’d come out the other side, refused to give up on my hopes and dreams, and I’m grateful that it turned out that way for me.

I found the hardest part was the impact on my identity, I’ve always been fit and strong but I was hobbling around like a 90-year-old and from the point of diagnosis to finding the right medication I deteriorated so badly I thought I might need a wheelchair.

Using social media to help others feel less alone

I’d never met anyone with an auto immune arthritic condition, especially someone as young as me and when I was diagnosed I felt embarrassed. Now, I’m happy to share my experience because there needs to be more knowledge and awareness which is why Arthritis UK’s work is so important, people really need that support.

I was keen to use my experience to help train people living with these conditions from a fitness perspective which is why I started on TikTok as the autoimmune strength which led to a flood of positive messages that make me feel really emotional. Knowing I’ve offered a flicker of light to people in that dark place is very special to me.

I try to take the lesson from every experience and feel this has made me more resilient, obviously if I could click my fingers and take the condition away, I would, but I focus on the positives and hope I can encourage others to do the same.

When I was really going through it there didn’t seem to be stories from people like me so that’s what I am trying to do, share my story to offer hope to someone else because, although being in pain is not a nice place to be, it doesn’t have to be hopeless. Once you get the support you need and, hopefully, come out the other side, you’ll be mentally stronger than you could ever imagine.