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- Written by Nancy J. Schaaf RN Nancy J. Schaaf RN
Did you know that more than half the American population over 18 is affected by musculoskeletal conditions, according to The Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions in the United States?
Produced by the United States Bone and Joint Initiative and other professional societies, this online resource states that bone and joint conditions — including arthritis, back pain, traumatic injuries, osteoporosis, spinal deformity, and childhood conditions — are our most common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability.
October is Bone and Joint Health Awareness Month, a health campaign focused on increasing public awareness of the importance of preventing, managing, and treating bone and joint conditions.
When your bones and joints are not performing at their optimum ability, it can affect your lifestyle.
Arthritis and its Many Types
Arthritis encompasses over a hundred conditions that cause joint inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis is known as wear-and-tear arthritis. This type is characterized by the gradual breakdown of the cartilage, which causes increased friction between the bones, triggering pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints, such as the knee and the hip, and it normally affects older people.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune type of arthritis, which means the body attacks the healthy tissues lining the joints and starts an immune response.
Some healthy habits you can adopt to reduce your risk of developing arthritis include maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, limiting consumption of processed and sugary foods, and eating anti-inflammatory foods, such as tomatoes, leafy greens, whole grains, and fatty fish.
Bones and Discs
Another condition, osteoporosis, occurs when the bones become weak and brittle, making them susceptible to breakage. It occurs when the rate of new bone being made doesn’t keep up with the rate of old bone being lost.
Osteoporosis often goes undetected until a fall or sudden impact leads to a bone fracture.
Preventative measures include eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, staying active, not smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption.
Degenerative disc disease is an age-related condition in which the discs, which are the spongy structures between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers and help your back stay flexible, deteriorate and lose their cushioning effect.
Degenerative disc disease is not preventable, but there are strategies to slow down its onset. These include staying adequately hydrated to keep your discs working correctly, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular physical activity.
Knowing how to prevent, manage, and take care of your bones and joints is an important part of your overall health and quality of life. Get active as often as you can. Physical activity helps to strengthen the muscles around your joints and helps them work better overall.
And maintain a healthy body weight, as excess weight can put stress on the joints in your legs and feet.
Bone and Joint Awareness Month is about being mindful so that we can continue to live life to the fullest.
Nancy J. Schaaf, a retired RN, worked as a school nurse, a nurse supervisor at a men’s prison, and a health educator. She earned her BSN at Edinboro University. She is a freelance writer whose health articles appear in magazines throughout the U.S. and Canada. She can be reached at nancyjschaaf@gmail.com.
Interesting Facts about Bones
- You lose bones over your lifetime. You were born with 300 bones, but as you age, they fuse, leaving you with a measly 206 bones.
- These bones are plentiful. With the 54 bones you have in your hand, fingers, and wrist, you are flexible enough to write, play an instrument, and browse your smartphone.
- Bones renew. You develop a new skeleton every seven years because the collagen in bones constantly replenishes itself.
- Bones creak. When you hear that “creaking” sound in your bones as you flex your foot or other joint, blame the arthritis that develops as your bone cartilage thins.
- Your funny bone is neither funny nor a bone. The so-called funny bone is your ulnar nerve, running inside your elbow.