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Top 5 Tips to Age-Proof your Hips
They say hips dont lie, and unfortunately, they
may be right. Hips might be one of the biggest
giveaways of ageonce youve hit 60, youve got a
1 in 4 chance of experiencing hip pain. Here
are my Five Top Tips to age-proofing your hips,
to reduce your risk of ending up on the
operating table! Tip 1 Monitor your bone
density If youre female and have reached
menopause, I recommend asking your GP for a bone
density check to measure the thickness and
quality of your bone. Reduced bone density can
put you at increased risk of sustaining a hip
fracture. Your GP can start you on medication
and a management plan to help strengthen your
bones. By 2022, it is estimated that 6.2
million Australians older than 50 years of age
will have osteoporosis or osteopenia, a rise of
31 from 2012. A similar increase in the rate of
fracture, from 140,882 in 2012 to 183,105 in
2022, is anticipated if action is not taken to
improve the diagnosis and management of
osteoporosis. Tip 2 Eat a mineral-rich
diet Make sure your diet contains the essential
minerals for bone healthcalcium in particular
and youre getting enough sun for your Vitamin D
levels. Most people in Australia dont need
supplements if their diet is healthy. Osteoporos
is Australia recommends taking a maximum of
500-600 mg of calcium per day. Talk to your
doctor about whether you need a calcium
supplement and what the right dose is for you.
For dietary guidelines please see the link
https//www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/file
s/files/the_guidelines/n55a_austral
ian_dietary_guidelines_summary_book.pdf Smoking
also harms your bone health. A great place to
start is to check out the Quit Now website and
its variety of information and tools to support
you in quitting smoking. Likewise, alcohol can
reduce the amount of calcium you absorb, and
weaken bones. Tip 3 Organise your home and
activities to prevent falls
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Organising your home to reduce the risk of falls
is highly recommended. Keep objects off your
stairs and floors. Fall-proof your bathroom with
slip-resistant bathmats and grab bars in the
bathtub. Take care in the garden, particularly in
wet seasons, and avoid ladders or standing on
unsteady furniture. Get your eyes checked
regularly poor vision frequently causes falls
in older people. For the latest information on
fall risk please visit the following link
https//www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/falls
-prevention/falls-prevention- research/ Tip 4
Exercise for strength, balance and
agility Exercise is vital for maintaining
mobility and general health. Weight-bearing
activities like walking and running will
strengthen your muscles, bones and protect your
hip joints. Low- impact exercise like swimming
and cycling are also great options for those who
are unable to run. Yoga and Pilates can improve
flexibility and strengthen your back and abdomen,
helping your balance and preventing
falls. There are certain activities can cause
joint pain and damage if performed incorrectly.
Go gently, and have a physiotherapist watch your
form. For further information please follow
the link https//www.osteoporosis.org.au/sites/de
fault/files/files/Exercise20Fact20Sheet2 02nd2
0Edition.pdf Tip 5 Maintain a healthy
weight The more you weigh, the more pressure
your hips experience. If youre at healthy body
weight, keep up your physical activity levels and
nourishing diet. However, if youre struggling
to keep your weight down, your doctor can help
you with a diet plan and exercise regime to keep
you at a healthy weight. Hip problems in seniors
can become extremely debilitating, and even fatal
if not treated correctly. Thats why taking
steps to minimise your risk of hip issues would
be beneficial to your health and its also not
that hard. For further information please see
follow the link http//healthyweight.health.gov.a
u/wps/wcm/connect/healthyweight/9aa254c4- e7b0-458
4-9c15-a185c5791a4b/FINALbookletforupload28D1
4- 55090529.PDF?MODAJPERES PJS
Orthopaedics Phone [phone] Email
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