It’s time for another edition of Treat Your Body Nicely Plztyty!
I found some tips on saving the ol’ hip and knee joints from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette back in June of ‘09 and never posted. Dr. Brett Smith of the Center for Restorative Joint Diseases at Allegheny General Hospital explained some ways to help keep joints working well and avoiding surgery, essentially trying to find himself out of a job. He’s an adult reconstructive surgeon who is used to making older folks’ parts work again.
• Stay active and exercise. “It’s well-documented, and the Arthritis Foundation has said this: ‘If you decrease activities, your arthritis will get worse faster.’ ” Dr. Smith cautions the activities you engage in be noncontact, nonimpact activities. “Running is out; swimming is best; cycling is second best; and elliptical training is third best,” he says. “Lifting is fine, not excessive weight, but lifting for endurance.”
• Lose weight. “Just for the hip and knee,” Dr. Smith says, “these are the biomechanics: They support three times your weight with each step. If you weigh 300 pounds and lose 100 pounds, that’s 300 less pounds on your joints.”
• Control inflammation. “Take anti-inflammatories like Advil or Aleve and take them consistently.”
• Try glucosamine. Dr. Smith also suggests taking the supplement called glucosamine. “There was a recent article published on glucosamine that says there is a benefit if taken for an extended period of time. If you take it for one or two months, no. You need to take it on a continuous basis for numerous months to find its full benefits. PP-G
I’ve seen glucosamine in the supplement department of different stores and pharmacies, and I think the target user is for people over 40. Being under 30 I would feel a little silly taking a joint cartilage helper. The way my hips and feet feel in winter, however, tells my pride to shove it and try it out. That plus swimming is probably the optimal care for a body like mine. Swimming pools are a bit harder to find out here in the winter. Time to move to southern California!
Staying active and losing weight keeps knees and hips healthy PP-G
Vitamin D has a long list of benefits PP-G
