How To Prevent Joint Damage?

Posted on January 9, 2008 in Exercise and Fitness

Arthritis is the stiffening and inflammation of joints. Improper lubrication and disintegration of the cartilage covering over the bone increases friction between joints during movements. This can eventually lead to joint damage.

Pain in the inflamed joints discourages physical activity in Arthritis patients, they believe exerting the joints despite pain would aggravate their problem. This is true but it doesn’t mean that you refrain from all forms of physical activity and confine yourself to bed rest.

Seven simple tips would help you avoid straining your joints unnecessarily and subsequently keep the joints from wearing off –

  1. Try moving each joint slowly and gently every day till its full comfortable range of motion that doesn’t cause any pain. This movement will prevent your joints from becoming stiff and maintain the freedom of motion in the joints without causing pain.
  2. Keep a vigil on activities that stress your joints and cause pain so that you can avoid the activity or modify it so that it doesn’t cause pain.
  3. Good body mechanics not only help you to use your body efficiently but also help you conserve energy and prevent strain on your joints. Good posture without slouching or stooping both whilst standing and sitting would help uneven body weight distribution that may strain your joints, muscles and ligaments.
  4. You should avoid stressful techniques and positions that risk deformities in weaker joints like fingers. Avoid activities that push your fingers towards your little finger, fist your fingers or allow you to pinch things between your fingers and thumb. Such activities exert a deforming force on your fingers.
  5. Avoid using your weaker joints for difficult or heavier jobs. Instead of lifting a heavy things with your fingers lift it with your palms. This would distribute the weight of the product evenly over your arms.
  6. Avoid keeping your joints inactive in the same position for a prolonged time period. This would make them stiff and any movement following this would exert undue stress on joints. Make sure you keep moving your joints every now and then to keep the motion free.
  7. Manage your workload effectively for the day so that you don end up overworking your joints. Its better to work slowly yet steadily like a tortoise and finish your job than get tired working at the rabbits pace.

Arthritis isn’t a crippling condition, it simply means careful and wiser movement of joints to avoid joint damage that could make it a crippling condition.

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