Spring and summer is the time when people begin to move more and more actively, especially if they have a summer cottage or they like a country vacation. In general, this is good – if there are no diseases of the spine or other joints. But, according to statistics, today, for example, almost all people over 30 suffer from osteochondrosis – endless sitting at a computer and a sedentary lifestyle lead to degenerative changes in the spine. And 80 percent of people over 50 develop osteoarthritis.
How to protect your body and joints from unnecessary injury and what precautions can you take? We talked about this with traumatologist-orthopedist of the Pirogov clinic, candidate of medical sciences, doctor of the highest category, honored doctor of Russia Viktor Kornev…
AGE CHARACTER
Osteoarthritis, which, as already mentioned, affects up to 80% of people over 50, is a degenerative disease. It is most common among joint diseases and is, as a rule, age-related.
In simple terms, with osteoarthritis, the cartilage in the joint becomes thinner, and the load begins to be redistributed to the bone. That, in turn, becomes inflamed, and the ligaments of the joint begin to hurt.
– All this is accompanied by stress pain, pain when walking and after walking, aching pains. People start to move badly – describes Viktor Kornev.
In addition to osteoarthritis, there are other joint diseases. They are less common, but they do not become less painful and dangerous from this. Among such diseases are arthritis, arthrosis, gout and others.
By the way, doctors noticed that the tendency to develop these diseases can be hereditary, that is, if a similar disease was diagnosed, for example, in a woman, it is highly likely (but not certain) that it can develop in her children or grandchildren.
In some cases, joint disease has to be treated with surgery. But more often, doctors can still cope with the disease, especially if the patient comes to them on time, when the disease is still developing or has appeared recently. In this case, according to Viktor Kornev, it responds well to therapy. In particular, pain relievers, chondroprotectors (drugs that protect a person from disorders in the joints, accelerate regeneration, healing and slow down the wear of the connective tissue) and physiotherapy can help the patient.
– You just need to keep in mind possible contraindications, – warns Viktor Kornev. – For example, physiotherapy cannot be done if a person has high blood pressure.
SECRETS OF PREVENTION
If a person has diseases of the spine known to him, in early spring, even before the onset of the summer cottage, it is necessary to talk to a doctor about prevention. She is in many ways individual. But there are some rules that are good for everyone.
So, Viktor Kornev recommends that those who have problems with joints and spine start the day with a warm-up – you need to right in bed or just getting up from it to work with the joint in which there is a problem. And only then start walking. If there are no contraindications, and there is pain in the joints, you can use orthoses when walking – special devices that can be put on the joint to reduce the load on it. Physiotherapy is also useful.
– It is very important that the load is dosed, – warns Viktor Kornev. – Now dachas will begin, people, especially those that are older, will start planting plants. Now, you don’t have to stand bent over. This exacerbates the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral calving of the spine. Take a bench and sit on it, moving with the bench as needed. Also, do not kneel on the ground – place a pillow or a blanket folded in several layers under your knees. This will reduce the stress on the joints, which is not easy for even a healthy person to tolerate. And you should not carry heavy things – carry them on a trolley.
According to Viktor Kornev, taking care of yourself in this way is also useful for those who do not experience problems with joints. And you definitely need to pay attention to pain syndromes – in this way the body signals that the joint is experiencing too high a load, you need to reduce it by changing the position of the body.
