Taking care of your joints

Maxwell Adeyemi

THE MUSCLES that facilitate motion are designed by nature to stretch and flex as the occasion demands, which is why animals such as cats, lions, leopards and jaguars are able to jump, twist 180 degrees and pounce on prey even when pursuing at full speed, and then come crashing down with the prey firmly gripped with the jaws, without suffering damage to the body.

Since these animals require speed and agility to be able to catch prey, even when such prey is bigger than them, they have an internal skeletal structure that is very flexible with very good cartilage between the bone joints, which is resistant to wear and tear.

However, the human body is not so built, as the skeletal structure is more rigid and, therefore, less amenable to twisting. However, there are unique individuals who began very early in life to train their bodies to twist into unbelievable shapes. Take, for instance, contortionists who can make their legs wrap around their necks or even slap themselves with their feet from a sitting position.

Others are ballet dancers whose bodies have been trained from the age of five to pivot on the tip of their toes or assume unnatural postures in the course of performing intricate dance routines.

From age 40, joints of the human body begin to experience the effects of wear and tear caused by the routine activities of daily life. Just as the tread on vehicle tyres wears away over time, the cartilage that cushions the human joints can break down, too. It’s a condition called osteoarthritis. And without enough padding, your bones will hurt when they rub against each other.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and it affects millions of people around the world. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.

Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in the body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in hands, knees, hips and spine.

Incidentally, it has been established that the pain and discomfort of osteoarthritis tends to get worse in cold weather, such as during the rainy season, when the weather is somewhat cold at night and sometimes during the day.

Osteoarthritis symptoms can usually be effectively managed, although the underlying process cannot be reversed. Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and other treatments may slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.

In osteoarthritis, frayed cartilage can’t heal or grow back. There’s no way to reverse the arthritis once it has started. Notwithstanding this fact, there are ways you can ease the pain of osteoarthritis and protect the cartilage you still have.

Below are vital steps you can take to slow joint damage:

1. Slim down if you’re overweight. It will help take stress off your knees and hips. Every kilogram you lose removes four kilograms of pressure off your knees. That lessens wear and tear on the joint, and you may actually slow the progress of arthritis if you lose a significant amount of weight. Also, significantly, every ten pounds you lose will reduce pain by 20 per cent.

2. Do aerobic exercise. Arthritis pain might make you reluctant to work out, but research shows that pain and stiffness get worse when you aren't active enough. Regular exercise that gets your heart pumping will boost your blood flow, which keeps cartilage well nourished. Besides, it gives the extra benefit of helping you reach a healthy weight.

Stay as active as you can tolerate, but avoid high-impact activities, like jumping and running. Better choices are walking, cycling and swimming. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days a week.

3. Build stronger muscles around your joints. That can help your body absorb some of the shock that normally goes through your joint when you move around during the day. A strong muscle will prevent a limb from slapping down on the pavement and jarring the joint.

Try to build up the muscles that surround your joint. To improve symptoms in your knees, for example, strengthen the quadriceps muscles, which are in the front of your thigh. A physical therapist or personal trainer with experience in working with people with arthritis can show you exercises that will help.

4. Stretch every day. It will help you improve your ability to move your joints. This not only fights stiffness but also helps protect the cartilage from more wear and tear. The more joints move, the more the cartilage gets nourished by the joint fluid.

5. Try glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. They may help protect your cartilage, though there's no proof that either one will rebuild it or slow down your arthritis. Some studies suggest they can ease your pain.

6. Use over-the-counter pain relievers for flare-ups. Some common ones are naproxen, ibuprofen, aspirin and acetaminophen. Check with your doctor to decide which one is safe for you. Make sure to read the label and take them only as directed. Over-the-counter painkillers are a good choice for short-term relief during flare-ups of arthritis pain. If you think you need one every day, talk it over with your doctor.

If you end up taking it for months or years, it may be time to think about joint replacement surgery.

7. If home remedies fail, ask your doctor about injections. Cortisone shots are good for short-term flare-ups. Hyaluronan injections may help, too. They may work as a lubricant and anti-inflammatory in your joint.

Contact Dr Maxwell on 7575411 or 3631807