Osteoarthritis affects at least 27 million Americans and knee osteoarthritis may afflict as many as 1 in 2 people at some point in their lives. Many risk factors include joint injuries, joint overuse, obesity, family history and aging just to name a few. The painful and often debilitating joint condition is the most common form of arthritis. Below are a few tips to help you prevent and cope with osteoarthritis.
Prevention:
- Achieve a healthy weight to take a load off your joints
- Do exercises to strengthen muscles around joints
- Use assistive devices like a knee brace or cane to ease the burden on your knees
- Do low-impact aerobic exercises such as water exercises or biking
- If you are an athlete, learn specific techniques to protect your muscles and joints
Coping:
- Participating in yoga can help strengthen muscles and maintain balance
- Water-based exercises such as swimming, walking in water and water aerobics are good ways to work out while taking it easy on joints
- Make sure you have proper support in your shoes
- Make adjustments to your home and work space to accommodate your needs
- AVOID heavy lifting
These are just a few ways to practice prevention and help cope with the pain and discomfort from osteoarthritis. In order to better understand your needs, see a doctor at the first signs of pain.