The joints of the human body are fragile, and the cartilage that protects the bones do not grow back once diminished. When the cartilage thins down, it can cause degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis. The arthritic joints, with the passing of time, can grow so painful and agonizing that they require to be substituted with mechanical replacements. It results in huge medical expenses and a drawn out replacement procedure. In the earlier days Arthritis affected people after their late 40s, however today’s unhealthy lifestyle, fast food culture and lack of exercise can lead to the disease affecting people in their 30s. By following these simple steps you can keep a check on your knees and hips and prevent artificial joints –
- Watch your Weight– Keep a check on your weight. An Increase in weight will heighten the stress on your joints and can injure them. Thus, being obese might cause issues, because when we walk, each knee supports a force equaling three to six times the weight of the body. Thus if your weight is a mere 120 pounds, your knees are holding 360 pounds or much more.
- Exercise regularly– Do light exercise every day to keep your body fit and your muscles toned up. By regularly stretching the muscles, your joints are less likely to get injured. Tai Chi, Yoga, swimming or average weight lifting exercises firm up the muscles without threatening the cartilage. The best exercise to avoid artificial joints is walking, as it will not cause any wear out in the knee cartilage. Walking will revive the joint and expand the lubricating fluid in the knee.
- Avoid getting injured–Avoid any situations that threaten injury to yourself, especially in your 30s and 40s. Avoid playing heavy sports like rugby or football after your 40s. It might cause an injury to your knees or hips. Moreover, it increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
- Go low-collision– Doctors of sports medicine advice sportsmen to avoid running harder on the pavement, playing tennis on raw concrete, or heavy activities like skiing, as it can lead to osteoarthritis. Hence, instead of running on the pavement regularly, switch to running on a treadmill or on tracks.
- Be doubtful– Purchasing popular supplements like Shark cartilage, Chondroitin and Glucosamine for healthy joints is a bad idea as the effectiveness of such products are limited and the supplements are quite expensive.
- Eat Healthy – Include a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your food diet. They also help in controlling your weight. Also, foods like soy beans and fish like Tuna, herring, and mackerel are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and protein. Olive oil, low-fat dairy products like cheese and yoghurt, have been shown to fight inflammation, strengthen bones and boost the immune system.
Joints require proper care and maintenance. Maintain your fitness and eat healthy as this goes a long way towards improving the health of your joints and ensuring that you do not have to go through any arduous and inconvenient replacement procedures.
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