Prevent osteoarthritis before it knocks you down
Osteoarthritis sometimes also called the degenerative arthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects cartilage. It is the most common form of arthritis that develops gradually overtime causing joint pain and stiffness. It occurs around the neck, hands, knees, spine, lower back, hips and feet.
There can be many factors like genetic, obesity, old age, joint injuries, certain occupations, bone deformities and sex that may increase the risk of the disease. Once occurred, it can’t be cured. Remedies may ease the symptoms. So it’s always better to prevent it before it hits you.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis:
Pain in joints during movement or after movement.
Stiffness in joints when they remain inactive for quite a good period of time.
Lack of flexibility in moving joint through its full range of motion.
Bone spurs may form around the affected joint area.
While moving your joint, you may hear or feel a grating sensation.
Feeling tenderness of joints on applying even light pressure on them.
How you can prevent it
Being overweight hurts the joints badly. Extra weight means extra pressure on them. So, keep that weight off with physical workout and healthy low-fat and high-fibre diet. Make walking, swimming or aerobics a daily feature of your healthy lifestyle. It should be accompanied by a weekly weight training programme to strengthen the muscles. It may lower the risk of joints to slip out of alignment. Stretching is also important to maintain the strength of agility of the joints. If you want to run, running on a smooth grass field is the best option to save joints. Never run on a hard surface.
Incorporate more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans in your diet. Take salt, sugar and alcohol in moderation. Multivitamin and mineral supplements especially calcium is very beneficial to fulfil the daily requirement.
Good hydration of body through drinking water may lower the risk of arthritis. Water works as a lubricant in smooth movement of joints. Drinking 8-12 glasses of water daily is recommended to prevent osteoarthritis.
Always wear light weight comfortable shoes made of breathable material, good arch support and a padded heel when you have to stand or walk for a long time. It may reduce the risk of future arthritis.
Bad posture also leads to a lot of pressure on joints. So, always stand up or sit straight. It would save your knees, lower back and hips in the long run.
Drink warm ginger water daily. It may prevent osteoarthritis. Boil a small piece of crushed ginger in one cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain and sip it warm.
Add the foods and supplements rich in vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3s and omega-6s to reduce the future risk of the disease.
Osteoarthritis can develop without any known cause and worsen overtime making even daily chores difficult. If you find any symptoms see your doctor immediately. Health comes first.
[“source-thestatesman”]
