Understanding the Spoon Theory

Living with osteoarthritis (OA) is no easy task, and explaining how it affects you can be just as difficult. Many chronic illness sufferers find themselves explaining their conditions in order to make them more understood — but how do we do this?

Ever heard of the spoon theory? It was created by a lupus sufferer trying to explain what it truly feels like to have a chronic illness, and has been adopted by many sufferers across the globe.

Using spoons as a metaphor for energy, Christine Miserandino explained that everything she does in a day “costs” a certain amount of spoons — once she’s out, she’s out of energy. She used this metaphor as a way to describe just how much effort everything takes when you’re managing a chronic illness (or multiple).

Learn more below and find out how you can join the conversation!