Dance It Out! Paula Abdul Says Living With Arthritis Means Leaning on Her Loyal Fans and Finding Joy in Movement
Feb 17th, 2021
by Nicole Pajer, Parade
Paula Abdul has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She’s been a Los Angeles Laker Girl, a recording artist with hits like “Straight Up” and “Cold Hearted,” a choreographer and performer who has entertained audiences across the globe and one of the latest stars to hold a residency on the Las Vegas strip. You could say the 58-year-old is used to pushing herself to the limit—and beyond. “I’ve made my body do crazy things from all the dancing and choreography—and different movements are jarring on my joints,” she says. After experiencing a more intense level of joint pain six years ago, Abdul went to see a rheumatologist. “I know what it feels like to be sore, but this was different.”
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (which causes joint inflammation and pain) and, a few years later, osteoarthritis (a degenerative wear-and-tear form of arthritis that affects more than 32 million Americans), the award-winning artist has found relief in over-the-counter pain gel Voltaren and manageable lifestyle routines, like movement, stretching and an anti-inflammatory diet. Her healthy living regimen has helped her battle additional ailments as well—she’s currently two years into remission with lupus. “I’m pretty tough. I’m pretty resilient,” says Abdul, who jokes that her doctor once told her she has a higher physical therapy pain tolerance than NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal.
She stays disciplined without putting too much pressure on herself and makes sure she’s finding joy in her day, whether it’s breaking out in dance on the set of The Masked Dancer (Wednesdays on FOX) where she serves as a panelist or chasing her ever-growing pack of canines around the house. We spoke to Abdul about how her social media fans have helped her through her diagnoses, her daily routine to combat arthritis and what’s kept her moving during the pandemic.
Dancing is such a huge part of your life, of your career. Did you worry about your future when you first received your diagnosis?
Dancing is my happy place. It’s the one time I don’t concentrate on the pain. I don’t concentrate on anything other than the joy of moving. When I was diagnosed, I was like, “Oh my God, it’s finally caught up with me.” But I don’t let this slow me down. I have a lot more living in me and a lot more performing that I want to do.
I definitely needed to work through my diagnoses mentally. One thing that helped was when people found out I had rheumatoid arthritis, they began connecting with me online. We would chat about the highs and lows of the day and what’s making a difference. I started charting how I was before learning all the tips and tools and how I was during it. And now, how far I’ve come after sharing with people. It’s been great to have that sense of community.
You’ve also talked about the power of positivity throughout a diagnosis. How has that helped?
Keeping a positive outlook has helped me with my health challenges throughout the years. One big thing is not isolating myself. Talk to your friends. Find people who are going through the same symptoms as you, so you don’t feel alone—the hardest thing with pain is feeling alone.
What do you do for rehabilitation?
I’ve done Pilates. I take ice baths. One of the things that works for me is Voltaren, a pain relief gel. And now that I’ve been able to implement this into my daily routine, it helps prolong my life as a performer. I was used to being in pretty bad pain, but the pain relief is almost instantaneous and gets me through my performances. One of my best friends also gave me a mini Theragun [a handheld deep muscle massager] during the pandemic. I can fit it in my purse and I can massage out my muscles and joints. And for me, that’s just part and parcel to something else that’s good for me.
What does your day-to-health routine look like?
I try to eat anti-inflammatory and alkaline foods [to maintain an optimal pH level in the body]. I’m not crazy with it, but I do everything that I can in moderation and that definitely helps me. And I don’t like saying “diet.” To me, that word sets me up to fail. I just try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What are some stretching habits you live by?
It’s very easy to succumb to being a couch potato and watching TV, especially during the pandemic, but not moving is the worst situation for anyone who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Stretching is critical. I stretch in the morning right when I get up, and I stretch before I go to bed. And that’s a form of meditation. I set a devotion in the morning and meditate on it, same thing before going to sleep. I also stretch while watching TV. During the commercials, I will get up and do a little bit of movement, stretch, take that time to dance it out. Even if it’s five minutes here or there, then all of a sudden, you’re at 15 minutes.
The pandemic has definitely been isolating for many. What have you done to keep your excitement and creativity up?
I love to try new things. I recently took an online ballroom dance lesson. It’s pretty funny when you’re doing one part and you see the instructor doing the other part, but you’re dancing by yourself! I’ve also done some cooking lessons online. I’ve been cooking and baking up a storm.
Is dating something you’re focusing on now?
Dating is a tricky thing during a pandemic. If I’m not able to really hang with my friends, how am I going to hang with a stranger? This is just a crazy time right now. It’s given me a lot of time to work on myself. Dating isn’t my priority, but when everything lifts up again, I’m a social person. I’m a hugger. I love meeting people. That’s been the toughest thing: self-quarantine. It’s me and my dogs. And they’re sick and tired of me!
You have a big family of pets, but lost three of your dogs during the pandemic. What was that grieving process like?
It’s been really heartbreaking. I wrote a letter to my dog Bessie Moo, sharing how much she’s been there for me, how much joy she gave me. To put it on paper really helped me. Dogs have been a part of my life since I was an infant. They make me laugh—sometimes they bite too hard and make me cry. But most of all, they’re just a constant source of unconditional love—and it’s real. I also rescued two dogs during the pandemic. One is a special needs dog named Nemo who has three legs, and his front right paw is a little fin. This dog is an angel. And I rescued Batman, who is a three-and-a-half-pound terror.
Is there anything you’re doing to limit stress during this time?
One stress reducer I’ve been turning to lately is coloring. It’s very Zen-like; you just zone out. I think I will keep doing it even after the pandemic. It’s something that’s actually really helpful and pretty meditative.
Before the pandemic, you had a Vegas residency. What was that like?
I had a blast with my Vegas residency. I always envisioned myself doing it, and when I finally got the chance, it was a dream come true. It was incredible. It was rigorous. It was a two-hour show with balls-to-the-wall dancing. It takes you through the journey of my life story, and I can’t wait till I can get back to doing it.
Another major role you’ve played this year is as a judge on The Masked Dancer.
I love my job on The Masked Dancer. I tell everybody, this is probably the most fun I’ve ever had on any of these shows. If we’re there 15 hours, I walk out with a smile on my face. It’s just delightful, and it’s just so different than what I’m used to when being a judge. And of course, the panelists I’m with are all great. Instant chemistry!
When a song comes on during The Masked Dancer, Ken [Jeong] and I go crazy. I pride myself on keeping the beat and getting in the groove, but when you have someone that you see peripherally to your left that’s standing out, you automatically become a bad dancer. I literally went from dancing on the downbeat to the upbeats and in-between beats—and looking like Elaine from Seinfeld! It’s contagious and I embraced it. We have a blast.
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