Prevention of Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is a condition affecting wide- range of multiple areas on your body and involves major joints like writs, fingers, knees, hips, ankles etc. Osteoarthritis (OA) being the most common one. You cannot always prevent arthritis due to some unavoidable causes like aging, family history, which are out of control. But surely there are few healthy habits you can practice reducing your risk of developing painful joints as you start to age.

Regular exercise : Doing regular exercise increases the strength and flexibility of the muscle surrounding the knee. It also increases the knee’s range of motion, reduces additional cartilage loss and improves in further pain and swelling of the knee. This programme should be taken slowly initially just for 20 minutes a day and mild to moderate exercise should be done.

Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods : Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as fish (salmon, trout and cod) reduces inflammation in the body that can prevent sudden flare up of painful joints.

Weight control : Weight is the topmost risk factor for OA. It puts extra stress on your joints that can speedup up deterioration of joint cartilage. Losing weight can help reduce pain and improve symptoms.

Prevention of trauma : Traumatic injuries cannot be prevented. It can be minimized by preventing trauma due to fall or accident etc. Surgical treatment of the injuries to restore the injuries joint to as close to a new one is possible.

Don’t put extra stress on joints : An injury increases the risk of OA. Warm up before every exercise. It helps to prevent injuries to muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints.

Control sugar levels : Diabetes may be a significant risk factor for developing OA. High sugar levels can speed up the formation of molecules that make cartilage stiff. It also triggers cartilage loss. Keeping blood sugar level under check can prevent OA.

Healthy eating habits : Include dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli. Nuts, berries, garlic and onions can help ease your arthritis pain. Using olive oil in cooking is a good practise. Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep.

Proper Footwear : Wearing flat footwear is recommended. Heels may worsen the arthritis pain. High heels change the mechanism of standing and walking, giving more pressure on the knee joint.

Massage : Massage helps relieve pain & eases the muscle stiffness associated with arthritis by improving blood circulation and thereby reducing inflammation in arthritic joints. Any type of full-body massage that involves moderate pressure should relieve pain and ease tension.