How To Prevent Arthritis

As we get older, we begin to become more aware of the aches and pains our bodies experience. When our hands are stiff, we would have previously popped our knuckles (which doesn't cause arthritis) and gone about our day. Now we pause and look at our hands and wonder if it's just a general ache from overuse or if we're experiencing the onset of arthritis. As arthritis is a common consequence of aging, it's an understandable worry. While it's impossible to entirely prevent arthritis, there are ways of keeping it at bay a little longer.

Fish Keep Your Joints Slippery

Fish are a very well-known source of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that has been shown to have numerous health benefits. Among them is the ability to reduce inflammation, which can help your body prevent the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. When possible, it's best to get wild fish over those farmed in fish farms as they tend to have greater amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Protect Your Joints By Losing Weight

While it may seem odd that even a few pounds can make a huge difference in preventing arthritis, it's important to remember that every pound you carry is multiplied on your knees by 3-6x. This means that a mere 5 pounds can result in as much as 45 additional pounds of pressure on your knees. Women are particularly susceptible to osteoarthritis of the knee, and even more so when they're carrying extra weight. This makes losing weight an important part of lasting joint health.

Exercise Keeps Things Moving Smoothly

In addition to being a significant way to help lose weight, staying active also keeps the muscles that support your joints strong. The additional stabilization this provides keeps your joints from experiencing additional wear and tear. You can get the most effective results from exercising by keeping a varied set of aerobic exercises in your routine. Adding a little stretching to improve your range of motion and overall flexibility doesn't hurt either.

Use Proper Body Mechanics

Using our bodies properly isn't something we spend a lot of time thinking about when we're young. Unfortunately, it's something we should have been paying attention to from the beginning. Start ensuring that you're using proper body mechanics when sitting, standing, lifting, even typing. The wear you save on your joints will help hold off the onset of arthritis and other conditions.

Ready to start taking steps to protect yourself from arthritis? Even if you've already been diagnosed, these steps will help improve your overall mobility and help lessen the symptoms of arthritis for many patients. Our team proudly serves the community in and around the Memphis area with exceptional health care options. Contact Dr. Sam Olu Faleye at Prime Health Clinic in Memphis, TN, to schedule an appointment and start your fight against the onset of arthritis. Don't wait until arthritis sets in to start fighting back; make an appointment, and find out how you can begin today!