Handling the Changes Brought with Ageing Joints and Bones

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Handling the Changes Brought with Ageing Joints
and Bones
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• Arthritis stiffness and pain affects how we enjoy
  life.
• Weakened joints, reduced grip and the
  accompanying build up of pain, are but a few of
  the changes our bodies incur with age.
• Damaged cartilage, loose ligaments and inflamed
  connective tissue (synovium) can cause stiffness
  and pain in joints, making completing daily
  tasks quite a feat.
• When the cartilage in the joint starts to wear
  down, the constant rubbing together of the bones
  can cause the bones to change shape.
• A slight change to the norm can make jobs more
  difficult and cause a rethink on how to perform
  particular tasks.

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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Looking after
our joint health can both lessen and delay onset
of stiffness and pain. Osteoarthritis and
Osteoporosis Osteoarthritis shows itself as
inflammation and deterioration of the joints. In
the UK, around five million people have some
level of knee arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the
most common form of arthritis. Osteoporosis shows
itself as broken bones, which can occur from a
fall of less than standing height. In the UK,
over three million people have
osteoporosis. Hands Arthritis in the hands
usually starts between the ages of thirty and
fifty, though it can start earlier. Dull pain and
burning are common early symptoms, though the
skin disease, psoriasis, is also an early
indicator. Other symptoms include stiffness,
numbness and tingling. - How to Help
Yourself When and where possible, push items
rather than lift them. If you have reduced
strength in your hands, try to reduce necessary
grip needed on items e.g. use wider (or cushioned)
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handles, so a holding grip can be reached
with less pressure. When lifting heavy or bulky
items, use the palms of your hands and not just
your fingers. Doing hand exercises in warm water
can help make the exercises easier and can
reduce pain. Adding a quarter of a cup of Epsom
salts to a bowl of warm water can help reduce
swelling. Applying something cold (e.g. ice
cubes) will both reduce swelling and numb the
area. Applying something hot (e.g. a hot water
bottle) will increase circulation and
flexibility, as well as loosen up the
muscles. Legs Leg pain can refer to pain
anywhere between your pelvis and your
foot. Arthritis in the leg can show itself as
swollen joints, weakness in the joints and
muscles, a change in walking comfort and style,
rashes and skin changes, as well as a reduced
range of motion. Osteoarthritis is caused by
normal wear and tear but can also be brought on
by injury or infection to the joints.
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• - How to Help Yourself
• Look at the ergonomics (layout) of your home and
  work towards reducing foot fall. For example-
• designate one kitchen cupboard and part of the
  worktop to things you use most often - this will
  cut down on walking and so reduce stress on the
  hip, knee,and feet joints.
• plan what jobs need to be done upstairs and
  reduce going up and down stairs to a minimum.
• try not to stand in the same position for too
  long a period, as this will affect your knee
  joints, which will be bearing the brunt of your
  full weight.
• Excess weight bears heavily on joints,
  particularly the hips, knees and feet joints, as
  they have to endure the extra pressure when you
  are standing or walking.
• Feet
• A human foot contains more than thirty joints.
• Osteoarthritis affects the feet in one in six of
  people who are aged over fifty.
• Osteoarthritis often affects the big toe joint
  and this is sometimes referred to as gout.

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• - How to Help Yourself
• Wear sensible footwear. Look for-
• room for your toes to move comfortably
• bendable rubber soles, as these soles give
  cushioning to your feet
• shoes or boots that are flat soled, or only house
  a small heel, allowing pressure to be placed
  evenly over the whole of the foot, rather than
  forced onto the toes.
• Overall Care
• Understand pain when performing a task, if you
  feel pain starting to present itself, take a
  break before the pain becomes full on.
• Losing weight will significantly reduce your
  chances of getting osteoarthritis in the knees.
• Give joints a break from activity, by changing to
  another task which does not involve the same
  joints.
• Rather than rushing, spend a little longer on
  tasks - break a job up into several parts by
  taking breaks away from it, so as to stop pain
  creeping in.
• In the kitchen, locate most used items within
  easy reach this will cut down on moving around
  and possible falls.

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Not using muscles can cause them to waste away -
regular exercise strengthens the muscles around
your joints, helping you to retain a range of
movements, as well as prevent stiffness and
pain. Cut down on smoking - smoking can have a
negative effect on bone mass, which may lead to
osteoporosis. Nicotine slows down the creation
of the cells which form bone and so slow down
the healing process. What to Consume and What
Not To You are what you eat and knowing what to
eat and what to avoid can make a big difference
to how you experience arthritis pain.
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• Amongst other healthy foods-
• Enjoy-
• oranges (fresh fruit or juice), as vitamin C can
  stave off the progression of osteoarthritis
• bananas - high in magnesium and potassium,
  bananas can alleviate arthritis pain and
  inflammation and also increase bone density
• pineapple this fruit is rich in vitamin D and
  is said to reduce pain and swelling in
  osteoarthritis
• green vegetables and herbs, such as kale,
  spinach, broccoli and parsley, all contain high
  levels of calcium and so can slow down bone loss
  and cartilage damage
• grains, pulses and nuts, poultry and oily fish
  these food choices can reduce inflammation and
  pain.

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• Avoid-
• sugar this processed ingredient can increase
  joint and muscle inflammation
• coffee -the boost that coffee can give you to
  start off the day is not the best start, as too
  much caffeine can weaken your bones
• excessive alcohol alcohol disrupts normal gut
  functioning and can cause inflammation
• saturated fats these fats increase inflammation
  and also heighten the risk of heart disease
• processed foods and takeaways, as these are heavy
  in processed sugar and fats.
• How Does Exercise Fit in with Living with
  Arthritis?
• Not using joints doesnt help the problem.
  Exercise does.
• Swimming and other aquatic exercises allow you to
  exercise the joints whilst having no weight on
  them.

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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Stretching
exercises make you use muscles you may not use
very often and will help maintain ligament
health. Consider yoga as a beneficial pastime,
for both physical and mental health. Alternate
between sitting and standing, as prolonged
periods of either will lead to stiffness and
pain. Medical Intervention Over-the-counter
medication, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and
naproxen, can successfully reduce the pain and
swelling which comes with osteoarthritis. Voltar
on gel may be recommended, as this treatment has
fewer side-effects than aspirin, ibuprofen and
naproxen. Steroids like cortisone are powerful
in reducing pain and inflammation. Doctors may
agree to a round of three injections, a break
from this treatment then needed before another
round will be given. Surgery is also an option,
though this is if all other treatments dont
provide solutions. Surgery would involve fusing
two bones together, or joint replacement.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com Your GP will
need to advise you should you be considering any
medical treatment. How to Handle Present
Pain Some arthritis medications can affect the
skin, leading to bruises, bumps and
lesions. Whilst trying to manage arthritis by
conventional methods, there are also some useful
products which can both alleviate pain and
protect joints. - Knee Cushions When you sleep,
arthritis pain seems to be more noticeable, as
the body is not truly aligned (not in a straight
line). Knee cushions (knee pillows) are designed
to align the spine and to adjust the legs and
knees into a more comfortable position for
sleeping or relaxing. Body alignment improves
blood flow and so more nutrients are sent to
where they are needed, which reduces pain.
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- Body Protectors Protecting skin is of vital
importance to good health. With age, the cells
which make up the layers of our skin reduce in
size and number and the fatty layer under the
skin reduces, giving us less cushioning from the
impact of daily life. Different types of
arthritis can affect the skin in different
ways e.g. rashes, lesions and torn skin. Body
protectors for the skin cover the frail surface
and provide much needed cushioning to prevent
tears. Full leg sleeves can protect frail skin
and also stop knees rubbing together when
walking. Full arm sleeves can protect thin and
frail skin from tearing. Summary Smoking has a
serious negative effect on bone healing and so
contributes to the onset of osteoporosis. Before
taking a regular dose of aspirin, ibuprofen or
naproxen, consult your doctor first, as there
can be a risk to cardiovascular health.
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c ustomerservice_at_essentialaids.com If you are
not getting enough appropriate vitamins in your
diet to promote strong bones, take multivitamins
to supply you with calcium, vitamins C, E and K,
as well as folic acid. If you experience
arthritis pain, dont later attribute any new
pains to arthritis, as well. Always seek the
advice of your doctor, as pain can come from
other health conditions and diagnosis should
always be sought in the early stages. Body
protectors can give extra support and protection
where needed. Regular exercise strengthens the
muscles around your joints, helps you to retain
a good range of movements and can prevent
stiffness and pain. Blog an Originally Posted
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-changes-broug ht-ageing-joints-bones.html
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