The importance of joint health
Whether you enjoy playing tennis or golf, mountain biking or running, healthy joints are an essential part of physical fitness and longevity as we age. Maintaining the health of your joints is extremely important not just for active adventures, but for everyday activities as well from grocery shopping to walking the dog. It can slow the progression of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA) and allows you the potential to live pain-free longer in your day-to-day life doing whatever you love to do while reducing the risk of future injury.
Understanding osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, affecting about 40 million Americans. The disease involves degeneration of cartilage and bone that worsens over time. This is a normal part of the aging process. The degeneration causes swelling which leads to stiffness and pain that can eventually impact joint and functional mobility. It most commonly affects the knees, hands, hips, spine, and feet.
Risk factors for developing osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a complex disease with both non-modifiable and modifiable causes or risk factors and again is a normal part of aging.
Age is the most well-known risk factor that is out of our control. Although it is beginning to occur in younger adults at increasing rates, it is most often seen in adults aged 65 and older.
Ethnicity, genetics, nutrition, limb alignment and prior injuries are factors in the rate at which someone’s osteoarthritis will progress.
Additionally, sex is also at play, with women at a higher risk of developing the disease than men due to a number of factors. These include 1) hormonal differences from decreases in estrogen levels which may increase OA risk, 2) joint anatomy and biomechanics affecting joint alignment from wider hip tendency and 3) decrease muscle strength due to less muscle mass around joints which can reduce joint stability and increase wear on cartilage.
Risk factors that are within our control and modifiable include obesity, smoking, safely executed flexibility and strengthening exercises, avoiding certain occupations or sports that involve repetitive excessive joint impact combined with twisting or torsional forces.
Increased amounts of kneeling and squatting can have an effect on joints that are already experiencing OA symptoms. Maintaining as much range of movement from functional activities and flexibility exercises is important as the saying goes “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” It’s just that oftentimes we’ve “lost it” and it’s too late and therefore squatting and kneeling can then worsen OA symptoms if pushed to the limit of motion.
Misaligned joints due to muscle weakness or imbalance can also play a factor in how much force is applied to joints which can amplify the “wear and tear” process.
How to protect your joints
Degenerative joint diseases such as OA are not curable. However, their onset and progress can often be delayed with proper treatment and changes in activity. While numerous dietary supplements and prescription medications are promoted for treatment of OA and OA symptoms, it’s important to check with your medical doctor before trying them and to only use them as part of a comprehensive medical plan. The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) focuses its recommendations for joint health on:
- Reducing excess body weight
- Doing lower-impact aerobic exercises
- Doing regular flexibility and range of motion exercises
- Strengthening thighs and glutes weekly
- Taping and/or bracing to assist in offloading pressure
- Considering low-inflammation diets
Physical therapy for joint health
There is a wide spectrum of management techniques for osteoarthritis and physical therapists have the education and experience necessary to help guide patients in finding ways to reduce pain and enhance joint function utilizing holistic, non-pharmacological interventions.
While activities such as yoga, swimming and walking are especially joint-friendly, if you enjoy mostly high-intensity exercise, that doesn’t mean you’re on a faster path to joint pain and degeneration.
While high-impact and intense forces are not ideal long term in protecting your joint health, often corrections in faulty movement mechanics and subtle muscle imbalances can ease stresses and re-distribute forces throughout the body.
As movement specialists, physical therapists can identify and work with you to correct these movement and muscle length/strength impairments to add longevity to your joints as well as decrease symptoms associated with your current level of joint changes. Physical therapists can design customized exercise programs and perform manual therapies to help redistribute joint forces which can affect the rate of joint degeneration and help you manage symptoms once it has become a part of your reality.
Working with a qualified PT can get you back on the links, courts, mountains, or wherever it is you want to be.
Keep moving! Practice mindful movement and ergonomics! And make sure you’re going to your healthcare providers for regular checkups. Above all, listen to your body, and if you need assistance, we are here to help!
Frequently Asked Questions About Joint Health and Osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis?
A joint disease affecting about 40 million Americans, caused by cartilage and bone breaking down over time. It leads to swelling, stiffness, and pain, most often in the knees, hands, hips, spine, and feet.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Age is the top risk factor, most common after 65. Genetics, past injuries, and joint alignment also play a role.
Why are women more at risk of osteoarthritis?
Lower estrogen, hip alignment, and less muscle mass around joints all increase women’s OA risk.
If I have osteoarthritis, what can I do?
OA can’t be cured, but maintaining a healthy weight, doing regular low-impact exercise, and avoiding repetitive joint strain can slow it down.
What activities are easiest on the joints?
How can physical therapy help with osteoarthritis?
PTs correct movement imbalances and use targeted exercise and manual therapy to ease pain and protect joint function.
Start protecting your joints today.
As physical therapists, we know the importance of movement for overall health and well-being. From injury recovery to achieving optimal performance, our passion is to help every patient reach their goals and live an active, pain-free life. Get started with PT today!
