- How to protect joints - hips
- How to protect joints - hands
- How to protect the joints - the spine
- How to protect joints - knees
- How to protect joints - ankles
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Joints may become weaker and weaker with age. Joint pain does not come out of nowhere. They are usually the result of the constant overload our joints are exposed to, and the first sign of more serious trouble. We advise on how to take care of joints to prolong their youth.
Contents:
- How to protect joints - hips
- How to protect joints - hands
- How to protect the joints - the spine
- How to protect joints - knees
- How to protect joints - ankles
How to protect joints - hips
The hip joints are the largest. They are made up of the heads of the femurs lying in the hollows of the pelvis - the acetabulum. They transfer the weight of the body from the torso to the legs and allow them to be moved in all directions (forward, backward, sideways). Destructive changes in the joint may be accelerated by a sedentary lifestyle, overweight and obesity, congenital dysplasia of the hip joint, blood supply disorders (e.g. aseptic necrosis of the femoral head), as well as fractures of the femoral neck.
- How to protect them?
Lose excess weight because the more you weigh, the harder your hip joints work. Avoid prolonged sitting, carrying heavy loads, and running on hard surfaces. Adapt the height of the furniture (e.g. chairs, beds) to your needs to make it easier to sit down and get up. Do sports regularly, e.g. cycling, Nordic walking, swimming. Strengthen the muscles around your hip, especially the gluteal muscles. To reduce the risk of falling, perform balance exercises, e.g. on a sensor cushion, tai-chi.
How to protect joints - hands
There are 27 dice in each. The joints that connect them are small, which enables precise movements. But at the same time, they are constantly exposed to overload and injuries, e.g. related to their work or physical activity. The degenerative changes most often develop in the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints and the base of the thumb joint.
- How to protect them?
Try to prevent injuries while playing sports, especially ball games, climbing, skiing (hold your poles correctly!). Avoid constant, monotonous movements, e.g. frequent knitting or long typing. Often exercise your hand muscles, e.g. by squeezing a ball that is not too hard.
How to protect the joints - the spine
For developmentOsteoarthritis of the spine (most often in the cervical and lumbar spine) leads to deformation or damage to the vertebrae, discs and intervertebral joints. These delicate structures can withstand a lot, but not for a long time, because we usually do not spare the spine. It is badly affected by static overloads associated with long-term sitting, wearing high-heeled shoes, and lifting loads.
The diseased structures of the spine compress the nerve roots, causing acute or chronic pain. The pain radiating to the fragment of the skin innervated by the pressed nerve root (the so-called dermatome) is characteristic. Patients describe these ailments differently, e.g. as acne, numbness or tearing. It should be remembered that if the pathology continues, the function of the muscles innervated by a given nerve root will be disturbed (e.g. it will not be possible to lift the foot or straighten the knees).
- How to protect them?
Make sure you maintain the correct posture. Lose weight because being overweight causes the destruction of the intervertebral discs and the wear and tear of the joints. Wear low-heeled shoes with a flexible sole. While working at the computer, place the screen in front of your eyes (use a special stand under the laptop), and get up from the desk every hour to stretch your muscles. Move heavy objects, and if you have to lift something - do not bend down on straight legs, but crouch.
Spend your free time actively (go to the swimming pool, do Nordic walking), enjoy exercises on a large ball and a sensorimotor pillow - they strengthen the paraspinal muscles responsible for stabilizing the spine. Sleep on a medium-hard mattress with a small, contoured pillow under your head. If this does not help, it is worth consulting an orthopedist, use physical therapy.
How to protect joints - knees
The knee joints connect the femur and tibia. After the hip joints, they are the largest joints in the body, and second in order (after the ankles) - the most heavily stressed. They often carry a considerable weight, e.g. related to being overweight or carrying heavy objects, they are also exposed to overload and injuries during sports, especially running, playing tennis, football, skiing.
As a result of untreated injuries of ligaments or menisci, the joint works incorrectly, which accelerates the development of degenerative changes. It also happens when the mechanical axis of the lower limb is disturbed (valgus or varus knee), which causes overloading of one of the knee compartments.
- How to protect them?
To ease your knees, get rid of extra pounds. Avoid violent jumps from high altitudegetting up from a squat position, sudden turns, sitting on tucked legs, wearing high-heeled shoes.
To increase the stabilization of the knee joint and prevent injuries, perform exercises to strengthen the thigh muscles (e.g. half-squats, lunges), as well as stretching and balance exercises (e.g. on a sensorimotor cushion).
How to protect joints - ankles
They connect the foot with the shin. They get injured quite easily - most often they are sprains or sprains, which can be contracted while walking or running on uneven terrain, practicing sports that require jumps and sudden twists of the foot. Injuries of the ankle joint easily renew, making it more prone to inflammation. Degenerative changes in the joint usually develop several years after the injury.
- How to protect them?
Pay attention to how and where you put your feet. Take care of the right footwear - it should have a flexible sole that absorbs shocks while walking or running. Avoid wearing high heels, as a high heel forces the foot to position incorrectly, and thus the entire body, and therefore key joints. It is necessary to lose unnecessary kilograms, then the pressure on the joint will be reduced.
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