As a personal fitness trainer who trains many people who are either older or who have suffered from physical injuries leading to traumatic arthritis, it is important for me to understand the various aspects of the disorder and be able
As a personal fitness trainer who trains many people who are either older or who have suffered from physical injuries leading to traumatic arthritis, it is important for me to understand the various aspects of the disorder and be able to prescribe the proper exercises and nutrition to keep people mobile and healthy.
Arthritis is a complex disorder of more than 100 various processes and it is widespread, affecting more than one in five American adults and costing over $100 billion annually. Actually, more than 65 percent of those suffering with arthritis are under the age of 65, and many are service members coming back from the Middle East.
The commonly affected joints are the load bearing joints of the hips, knees and ankles — the result of extreme and sustained physical stress. Military experts attribute this high percentage to the weight of ceramic plates and ammunition, repetitive stress injuries or untreated sprained ankles and knees. Of course, other injuries can result in post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in which “wear and tear” affects cartilage in the joints leading to loss of mobility and pain. The main causes of OA are physical or nerve injury to a joint, overuse, obesity, aging and lack of exercise. Or it can be somewhat related to heredity.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, OA is the leading cause of disability and medical discharge in active service members under the age of 40. In fact, a study conducted by the Brooke Army Medical Center showed that nearly one third of Iraq War veterans found unfit for duty had PTOA as their limiting condition.
The same study demonstrated that injuries to the ankles, knees and elbows inevitably leads to disabling OA usually after five to 10 years but sometimes in as little as a year. This disability is significant for people of any age but even more troubling for those under 40 as it can severely limit their lifestyle and quality of life.
The first step in prevention of OA is avoidance of injury. Secondly, you should exercise at least five days a week. Experts at the Hancock Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention state that strong muscles help joints be in better alignment and act like the suspension in your car.
People commonly discontinue exercise when their joints hurt but by minimizing high impact activities and emphasizing low impact exercise, thoughtful exercises can lower pain levels. Swimming, pool walking, biking and elliptical training are all good choices for cardiovascular exercises and movement that don’t stress the joints. More people get sick and hurt from lack of exercise than ever get hurt from performing exercises.
It is also extremely important to keep your body weight under control. Being overweight is a huge problem in this regard. Even being 10 pounds overweight is hard on the joints.
Strength training, stretching and a proper diet are also important factors in keeping joints healthy. Trainers know this and even though clients may resist working a sore joint, it is imperative to strengthen the supporting muscles in order not to lose mobility.
A positive “take charge attitude” is important so as to reduce pain and stay active and strong. A joint-healthy diet is the same as a heart- or brain- healthy diet — lots of fruits and veggies, nuts and greens.
Everyone, no matter what age, needs to avoid injury whenever possible because it usually leads to osteoarthritis. So take care, have a hand on the railing and avoid high heel shoes or non-supportive footwear, in order to avoid falls and injuries.
Staying healthy takes effort, but it is so much more convenient and easier than trying to undo injuries or illnesses caused by lack of exercise and proper diet. If you are coming back up the road to health, congratulations! I wish you well and offer you support and guidance. Happy holidays!
• Jane Riley, M.S., B.A., C.P.T., Certified Nutritional Adviser, can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
