When Sasha Douglas was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 2020, she was just 22 years old. Like many young people facing an arthritis diagnosis, one of the hardest parts wasn’t just the pain or fatigue, it was the shock.
“I felt very alone,” Sasha says. “It didn’t feel normal to have arthritis at my age. I thought it was something only older people got.”
Now 28 and living in Auckland, Sasha is an exercise physiologist, researcher and business owner. She lives an active, full life and her journey has challenged the common misconception that arthritis is only a later-in-life condition.
Not just an older person’s disease
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain and fatigue. It can affect people at any age including children, teenagers and young adults.
For Sasha, this misunderstanding made her diagnosis even more isolating.
“Watching my peers live their lives without having to think about their energy levels, pain or medications was really hard,” she says. “I had to make changes in my early 20s that no one else around me had to worry about.”
In the early stages, RA affected even simple daily activities. Walking was painful, exercising was difficult, and gripping objects with her hands became a challenge. She also had to make changes to her job while her condition was being brought under control.
Learning to manage rheumatoid arthritis
Over time, a combination of the right medication and lifestyle changes made a significant difference.
“Finding the right medication alongside lifestyle changes has had the biggest impact for me,” she explains. “Eating mostly whole foods, staying active at a level that feels right on the day, calming my nervous system, and prioritising sleep.”
She has also learned to notice which foods and stressors trigger flares, helping her better manage symptoms before they escalate
Movement as empowerment
Sasha grew up doing ballet for 16 years and discovered the gym at 19 which is something she still loves today.
“RA made me adjust how I move,” she says. “But in a way, I’m grateful. It forced me to focus on mobility and joint health, which has made me stronger and more resilient.”
Some days she lifts heavy weights; other days she listens to her body and scales things back.
“I’ve learned that it’s okay to meet my body where it’s at instead of being disheartened.”
Her experience inspired Sasha to return to university to study clinical exercise physiology. She has since worked in pain and cardiac rehabilitation research and now coaches others through her business, Muve.
From invisible illness to inner strength
In the beginning, Sasha felt disabled by her arthritis.
“It felt invisible. No one could see what I was dealing with, but I was constantly tired and fatigued,” she says.
“I honestly feel empowered by it now. It pushed me to learn more, to help myself, and to help others who are going through similar things.”
Sasha is also helping others through her work with the Arthritis NZ Link Group, a volunteer consumer group that supports others living with arthritis with advice and peer support.
What Sasha would like others to know
Sasha’s biggest hope is that young people diagnosed with arthritis don’t feel as alone as she once did.
“With the right support, you can learn to manage it and still live a full life.”
She would like to see more resources, support networks and opportunities for younger people with arthritis to connect, and more awareness that arthritis doesn’t discriminate by age.
Sasha became connected with Arthritis NZ after creating social media and online information on her experience with RA and also about exercise and arthritis. She is now part of the Link Group where she gives help and advice to other people living with arthritis, and helps to inform the organisation’s work.
