Joints and Muscles
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (or OA) most often starts in your 40s, and by time you reach 65, you have more than a 50 percent chance of having some evidence of joint damage of this type, even if you experience no pain. This is because your joint cartilage becomes thin and roughened as you age.
As your body works to repair this damage, bones in your hips, knees, shoulders and finger ends might become ‘knobbly’ with fluid collecting in the joint area, causing swelling, pain and stiffness. OA might be partly caused due to wear and tear, but mostly, OA is dependent on genetics.
Strains and sprains
Acute muscle strains or ligament strains and sprains can occur following over-strenuous activity or after an awkward movement. These injuries will heal more quickly if you cool and rest the affected area, elevate the injured area/part and use a support bandage.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis or RA needs to be treated by your IPSA physician. Usually, your immune system produces antibodies against bacteria and viruses. With RA, your immune system produces antibodies that attack your joint linings, making them stiff, inflamed and painful.
With time, this can damage your joints, cartilage and the bone near your joints. There is a tendency for RA to run in families; thus, your genes might be a factor. RA is twice as common in women than in men. Some scientific research suggests that the female hormone oestrogen might be involved in RA development.
Looking after your joints
To help to reduce your risk of developing joint issues in later life:
- Maintain your joints in a healthy condition by maintaining a healthy weight to reduce pain by easing pressure on your joints
- Eat lots of vitamins, minerals and oily fish. The Omega-3s present in seeds, nuts and oily fish help some people’s RA symptoms. Your body utilises these fatty acids to produce hormone-like prostaglandins and these help by preventing inflammation
- Taking moderate exercise can also help to relieve some RA symptoms and to improve your bone density
