Physical Therapists Tips to Prevent Arthritis

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Physical Therapy plays a big role in arthritis, it focuses on the body’s ability to engage in movement. Movement can be anything from getting in and out of chairs to climbing stairs, walking in your neighborhood, playing a sport or doing recreational activities. Arthritis commonly occurs when the cartilage — the slick, cushioning surface on the ends of bones — wears away, bone rubs against bone, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, joints can lose strength and pain may become chronic.

How To Prevent Arthritis? Simple Tips To Stay Healthy

You can’t always prevent Arthritis, there are many risk factors associated with it like increasing age, family history, and gender; women are more prone to Arthritis than men. You may be wondering why women are more prone to Arthritis, some factors that lead to this are :  women have less knee cartilage than men due to hormonal difference, women are also at greater risk for an autoimmune condition called Rheumatoid Arthritis, emotional problems, lack of exercise etc.

Even though we can’t prevent the occurrence of Arthritis in most cases, we can give these steps a try and, perhaps, it will help you too.

1. Maintain a Good Body weight — Excess body weight increases the risk factor for getting Arthritis. More weight means more pressure on joints which means faster joint wear out.
2. Eat Fish rich in Omega 3 — Certain fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout,   sardines and albacore tuna), a healthy polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3s have a number of health benefits — and may reduce inflammation in the body.
3. Exercise — Exercise strengthens the muscles around the joints, which protects them from wear and tear. But avoid high impact exercises like long distance running, Soccer etc. as these have adverse effects and increases the wearing.
4. Try to avoid any Injuries — when you injure your joint — for example, while playing sports or due to an accident — you can damage the cartilage in the knee and cause it to wear out more quickly.
5. Take care of Joints — While doing physical actions like Lifting an Object lift with your legs instead of back this will reduce the strain on your joints. Similarly while carrying objects also try to distribute the weight.
6. Stay away from High heels — Human foot is designed in such a way that it is distributing weight equally on entire feet. If you wear a high heels whole body weight is balanced by toes which in turn increases stress. So wear high heels only occasionally.
7. Check your Vitamin D — Studies show that Vitamin D deficiency also results in Arthritis so include Vitamin D in your diet.
8. Drink water — The cartilage in our joints is made up mostly of water, which is what makes it such a great cushion for the joints. When we’re dehydrated, water gets sucked out of the cartilage and it’s more easily damaged by wear and tear. So drink water.
9. Consult your doctor — If your feel that you are having Arthritis, consult your doctor and take immediate steps to slow down the wear and tear on your joints.

At CardioFlex Therapy we can help you increase mobility and manage the pain associated with arthritis. Call us for information or to make an appointment at 954-693-9090.

Article Credits to: Amy Lawrence, Researcher in Ayurveda

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.com