If you are an older individual, then you are likely to experience some health problems that are directly attributed to your age. Osteoarthritis is one of these issues, and an age management medical professional can assist you with the arthritis condition. However, you also need to take your health in your own hands. There are a few things that you can do to help to control your osteoarthritis condition.

Exercise Consistently

Most people with osteoarthritis issues do not want to move a great deal due to their pain. This is completely understandable, and exercise may seem as though it would contribute to soreness. However, this is not exactly true. Exercise can help to minimize osteoarthritis discomfort in a number of ways. Exercise can strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that provide your joints with support and strength. When the joints are supported better, pressure and weight burden are reduced significantly. Inflammation will then reduce as well.

Also, when you exercise, joint flexibility and range of motion are increased. This can reduce the overall stress on the joints when you complete tasks that may have overextended the joints previously. For example, lifting objects over your head or picking things up off the floor may have been difficult and especially painful. Range of motion exercises can reduce the discomfort associated with these sorts of tasks. 

There are a wide variety of range of motion exercises you can complete. While you can complete a series of exercises that help improve overall flexibility, it is wise to concentrate on movements to help the joints that you feel are the weakest and require the most strengthening. For example, if you have problems with your knees, then hip and knee bends, leg lifts, and knee rotations are all a good idea. 

Outside of the range of motion exercises, you should also complete general aerobic exercises at least two to three times a week. Exercise bicycles, elliptical machines, and treadmills can be used. You can also swim and join a low-impact exercise class like yoga.

Watch Your Diet 

Your diet is also an essential part of your osteoarthritis treatment plan. Osteoarthritis is caused by the degeneration of the cartilage in your joints and the weakening of the bones that surround the cartilage. You can reduce some degeneration concerns by making sure that your body receives the nutrition it needs to retain both healthy cartilage and bones. Thankfully, the bones and the cartilage require a lot of the same nutrients. Calcium, magnesium, and protein are among these nutrients. You can get a lot of your calcium by eating foods like kale, broccoli, almonds, okra, and calcium fortified products like orange juice. You may notice that cheese, milk, and yogurt are not on this list. These foods do contain calcium, but dairy products can also increase inflammation in the body and can contribute to osteoarthritis pain.

If you want to eat foods that are high in magnesium, then eat seeds, nuts, beans, spinach, and avocados. You can find protein in lean meats like chicken and pork and also in beans, quinoa, fish, and eggs. Fish is particularly healthy when it comes to the joints, because of the healthy oils included in them. These oils assist your cardiovascular system and increase blood flow to the joints.

Another thing that you need to be concerned about if you want to reduce joint discomfort is whether or not you drinking enough water. Fluids are needed to keep the cartilage moist and lubricated. Without water, the cartilage can become brittle, crack, and rip. Make sure to sip on a glass of water throughout the day and consume at least 8 or 9 full glasses of water each day. 

For more information and assistance, contact a health professional, such as those at SOCOLMD.

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