Pain in the joints has until recently been considered a disease of the elderly. Today, young people more and more often complain of back pain, knee or hip pain, and degenerative changes in joints appear after 20-30. age. Problems are most often the result of joint wear or one of the many rheumatoid diseases.
Jointswork whatever you do, sit or stand. They are made for this. However, like the entire body, they are also subject to the aging process.
Joints age and wear out
But the pace at which they age is very much up to us. Unfortunately, we accelerate these processes more and more often unknowingly. According to doctors, it is mainly bad habits that we owe to the poor condition of the joints andspine , as well as ailments that make our lives unpleasant. Problems with joints are 3 times more common among women than men. Probably the hormonal economy plays a role here, which in the period of menopause in women is more turbulent than in men, causing greater changes in the body, and the lack of male testosterone, increasing the resistance of connective tissue to wear. In addition, women strain their joints more, and when ailments appear, they usually ignore them. This leads to premature destruction of the smooth cartilage that covers the joints and the development ofdegeneration .
Articular cartilage becomes thinner with age
So it doesn't protect bones from pressure anymore. The body tries to regenerate it, but the damage process continues. After many years, it may disappear completely, then the bones that are stripped of the shield rub against each other, which causes pain. The body, defending itself against excessive friction, creates cartilage and bone growths (osteophytes) that distort the joint, limit its movement and cause pain when moving. It also reduces the production and quality of the goo that coats the surfaces of the joints, protecting them from damage and allowing freedom of movement. The joint capsule and ligaments thicken, become less flexible and no longer protect the joints. There is asymmetrical muscle tension and joint stress in the wrong axis. Inflammatory reactions may develop in the joints and nearby tissues (ligaments, joint capsules, muscles), accompanied by swelling andeffusion in the pond. The degenerative changes most often affect the most stressed joints: cervical and lumbar spine, knees, hips, feet.
See the gallery of 9 photos
Exercise and a diet good for the spine, joints and muscles
Among the factors accelerating degenerative changes in the first place is the lack of exercise. The development of civilization on the one hand, and the burden of duties on the other, meant that most of us sit at the desk all day long, and on a soft couch after work. The result is that muscles systematically lose their flexibility and weaken. Joints are overloaded and this gradually leads to various deformities. This is because the cartilage has no blood vessels and, like a sponge, absorbs nutrients from the fluid. The process is only possible when we are moving. Cartilage, which is constantly and excessively compressed, loses the ability to suck in nutrients and, consequently, the ability to regenerate and moisturize.
Each additional kilogram is a unnecessary ballast for the joints. The vertebrae and discs cannot adapt to being overweight, so they deform over time. When fat is deposited on the abdomen, it puts the most stress on the lumbar spine, knee and hip joints. The joints are not used to lifting weights on straight legs, carrying a bag over the shoulder, bending for a long time, sitting at the computer, some sports that are practiced intensively (skiing, exercising in the gym).
Postural defects in children must be treated immediately
When you observe that the child has a flat back (the spine is functioning properly thanks to natural curves: cervical, thoracic and lumbar), round (head tilted forward), concave (protruding belly) or some asymmetry (protruding shoulder blade, protruding hip) , waist more indented on one side or raised arm), do not delay visiting the pediatrician. Consultation is needed if the child has flat feet, puts them inwards or walks on the inner edge (flat feet), when there is a gap between the feet with the knees joined and straightened. X (knee valgus) or with the legs straightened and the feet together, there is a gap between the knees (varus knee). Defects detected early can be corrected or their development stopped. If neglected, they lead to the development of subsequent posture and musculoskeletal defects as well as progressive degeneration of the joints.
Posture defects - the enemy of joints and spine!
The enemies of joints are congenital or acquired posture defects and congenital defects of joints, for example in the hip. We stand, walk, sit carelessly: head lowered, belly stuck out, back hunched, shoulder bowed.We sit on the tucked leg, bend our back into a headband, leaning over the book. Meanwhile, any body position that forces a change in the natural curvature of the spine causes a disturbance in the work of the muscles. This leads to poor posture, damage to joints and discs.
Joints are harmed by chronic stress. The influence of adrenaline leads to prolonged tension and muscle overload. This leads to chronic pain and permanent degenerative changes. This mainly affects the spine. The disease is the result of the so-called pessimistic attitude, more and more often observed in adolescents: bowed head, hanging arms, shuffling.
Joint damage can be the result of taking hormonal drugs and some systemic diseases, e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism. Due to the disturbance of the water and electrolyte balance, minerals are leached out, hence the poor nutrition of the joints, or the storage of various substances in inappropriate places. For example, sodium urate crystals accumulate in the periarticular tissues in gout, which leads to the development of inflammation and damage to the cartilage.
"Zdrowie" monthly