Osteoarthritis

Of all the forms of arthritis, Osteoarthritis (O.A.) is, by far, the most common. It effects over 25% of Canadians and is the single most common disorder of the elderly. But to say that it is a disease of old age can be misleading, as some children have it while some lucky people in their 80's do not. Yet nearly everybody over the age of 35 has at least some trace of it; and the older you get, the greater the chances of suffering from it.

This makes sense when we realize the nature of the disorder. O.A. is actually nothing more nor less than "wear and tear" of the joint surfaces. We are all familiar with that smooth, shiny cap of cartilage on the ends of chicken bones. That is a fine example of a healthy joint surface. If this bearing surface becomes roughened, cracked, dehydrated, abrasive, not so slick; when friction and wear occur with movement; that situation is O.A. This is what gives the stiffness and rigidity to the joints that limits the flexibility and decreases the ranges of motion. You then can feel the crepitis (a sound like hairs rubbed together between your fingers) caused by the roughness of the joint surfaces. And it aches!

What Happens? The fact is, our joints are so perfect at birth and so good at self maintenance that they could last a century or more. And they do in many people. Nobody has O.A. in all their joints, even though all your joints are the same age, so it can not be caused purely by aging. The problem is merely cumulative stress and mechanical trauma. As we get older we accumulate more and more abuse to our joints. Falls, auto accidents, sprains and the like are obvious culprits. Indeed, severe or repeated trauma will virtually guarantee O.A. of a joint. More insidious factors such as poor posture, chronic over work, tedious, repetitious chores and prolonged postures are also hard on our joints. Some disease processes, such as diabetes, slow down the repair processes and thus speed up joint erosion. As we age our cartilages tend to dry up and become brittle. This is especially true for those of us who do not have adequate water intake. Being over-weight puts a lot more compression on the weight-bearing joints in the spine, hips and knees and feet. Poor nutrition, (not getting the adequate building blocks into our bodies to make the repairs), will also set up our joints for a faster decline. Since most joint repair is done while we sleep, insufficient amounts of sleep, or poor sleep patterns, can also contribute to premature joint wear; as will inappropriate sleeping postures, or a poor mattress or pillow. Finally, emotional factors such as worry, grief, anger, fear and impatience can cause our muscles, especially in the neck, to tighten to the point of jamming the joints together, creating greater friction and wear.

What to do. All this O.A. is, fortunately, preventable to a large extent. Even if we are unlucky enough to have a major trauma such as an auto accident, we can still enhance the repair mechanisms in our joints and minimize the wear that aggravates the damage by following a few simple rules: 

Adequate Rest: Eight hours is not a magic number. Get enough sleep at night, or combined with a nap so that you feel well rested.

Good Work Habits: Taking occasional breaks to allow your body to recover is especially important when doing unaccustomed activities. Proper lifting techniques, such as using your knees to lift instead of bending your back, can save a lot of wear and tear. Don't rush! Haste creates micro trauma to the joints, (micro trauma being little bangs and bruises, small unfelt injuries that add up over time).

Avoid Prolonged Postures: Moving parts want to move. Whether resting or working, holding a joint in any one position for very long leads to the formation of adhesions (sticky spots) which can damage that joints surface.

Proper Weight: Avoiding the extra pounds not only helps your joints stay young, but also is very good for the rest of your body especially your heart and weight bearing parts.

Reasonable Nutrition: Not necessarily becoming a health food nut, but eating a balanced diet. This should include some fresh vegetables and some fresh fruit every day. Also some foods that are high in protean. And don't forget water; five or six glasses a day will help a lot to prevent cartilage dehydration; as will avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, caffeine, salt and sugar.

Keep In Shape: Regular, mild exercise, such as a daily walk, can keep things moving nice and smoothly.

Professional Help: Seeing your Chiropractor periodically for a check up to keep the joints mobile and mechanically well aligned is a great aid. Research has shown that these treatments can minimize the formation of O.A. as well as decreasing its pain and stiffness. While seeing your Chiropractor, ask for more details about what is best for you personally regarding work habits, exercise and nutrition in the prevention and management of Osteoarthritis.

Source : http://www.klis.com/computers+health/#Osteoarthritis