Who can be affected by joint wear?
The natural degeneration suffered by the joints with age is a very frequent entity that affects, to a greater or lesser extent, all older people, causing more or less symptoms, depending on the case, which consists of pain and rigidity in the mobilization of the joints.
But it is about the fourth decade of life, when many people already show signs of wear on the x-rays, especially in the joints that support the weight of the body such as the hip or knees, but relatively few have symptoms.
And although it is a natural wear and tear, what is very clear is that the moment of presentation of the first symptoms can be delayed if we do not use the joints excessively or if we avoid injuring them continuously, especially with certain sports activities.
Is the wear of our joints always natural?
All joint wear is not natural, but there are also diseases that can cause or accelerate it, as is the case of Pageto’s disease after suffering joint infections. Also, people who repeatedly strain their joints, in certain jobs or sports, may experience the first symptoms of joint wear much earlier. Thus, for example, a professional footballer may manifest obvious symptoms of wear and tear on his ankle joint at just 30 years old. Another factor that is very involved in the development of this wear is the body weight, in this way the first medical advice to prevent the progress of the disease is to avoid being overweight.
What should we do when the first symptoms of wear appear?
Due to this slow and progressive development of wear, we can try, in some way, to slow it down by performing stretching, strengthening and postural exercises; so that increasing in a natural way and without overloading the joint and reinforcing the surrounding muscles can cause the effects of the “aging” of the joint to be delayed in its appearance.
All these measures will prevent or, at least, delay the joint from being affected in such a way that it is necessary to resort to surgical treatments where, especially the hip and knee, they have to be replaced by an artificial prosthesis. In any case, if this moment arrives, we will also have the peace of mind that, in general, offers very good results, improving the functionality of the joint and, therefore, the symptoms.
Adequate movements
Exercising your hands, hips, knees, and cervicals each day (using slow, controlled movements) helps keep your joints lubricated, but repeating others too many times can cause wear and tear. If you cannot avoid this repetition (when sewing, cleaning, typing …), try not to do them abruptly and insert periods of rest.
Gentle exercises that will help you
Do 15 repetitions of these movements each day to ‘lubricate’ the joints:
Knees. Lie down and bring your knees to your abdomen. Then alternately raise your legs.
Cervical. Gently tilt your head back and forth. Then turn it sideways.
Hands. Close your fists and make circular movements, first to the right and then to the left.
Ginger to relieve it
It is anti-inflammatory and analgesic and therefore is ideal for relieving pain that affects the joints. When you suffer discomfort, you can add ginger to your meals or also prepare infusions with its root.