How to care for your bone and joint health as you age

Warm weather, friendly folks and a relaxed attitude make NOLA a fabulous place to enjoy retirement. Still, bone and joint health changes may threaten to slow you down as you age. While some of these changes are normal, inevitable parts of aging, developing osteoporosis or osteoarthritis (OA) aren’t. Get the most out of your golden years by taking action to prevent these conditions and protect your bone and joint health.

A broken humerus is no laughing matter

Osteoporosis is a condition caused by bone loss. It makes bones brittle and weak. Both men and women can develop osteoporosis, but women have a greater risk. Other risk factors for osteoporosis include:

• A family history of osteoporosis
• Being past menopause
• Lack of exercise
• Low body weight
• Older age
• Poor diet
• Smoking

In many cases, the first symptom of osteoporosis is a broken bone. A bone density scan can also be used to determine if you have osteoporosis. This is a type of imaging test called a central dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA scan.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to help strengthen your bones or tell you to avoid certain medications that may cause bone loss. It’s also possible to help prevent bone loss and rebuild lost bone by avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and making changes to diet and exercise.

OA: The original popping and locking

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and is especially common in older adults. It’s caused by a breakdown of cartilage, tissue that cushions joints. When you reach middle age, your risk of developing OA increases, especially in women. Your risk of developing OA increases more if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Had a previous joint injury or surgery
• Have a family history of osteoarthritis
• Overused a joint, often when playing sports

Creaking and popping joints, pain with movement and stiffness are common symptoms. OA can also affect balance and cause hard-to-notice changes to how you walk. These changes may increase the risk of falls by up to 30 percent.

What you can do to keep your joints and bones healthy

Follow these tips to keep your joints and bones healthy and safely regain some of your youthful bounce.

Eat your way to bone and joint health

To build strong bones, you need calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is a mineral essential to protecting your bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Calcium is found in many foods, including:

• Broccoli
• Dairy products
• Leafy greens, like collards and kale
• Seafood

Up to age 50, women need 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. After age 50, women need about 1,200 milligrams. Men aged 70 and younger need 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. Men over age 70 need 1,200 milligrams.

Exposure to sunlight and eating fish and fortified foods can help you get enough Vitamin D. If you worry you aren’t getting enough, talk with your provider about adding a vitamin D or calcium supplement.

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can also help you avoid inflammation that may worsen symptoms of OA.

Protect yourself before you wreck yourself

Be proactive about your joint health. Take the time to warm up and cool down before and after exercise to help prevent injury. Use protective gear when playing sports, and choose joint-friendly, large-grip tools for the kitchen and garden.

Pay attention to how you position your body when doing heavy work. Let large, strong joints, such as the elbows, hips, knees or shoulders, take most of the force.

Get a grip

Having weak hands is a predictor of frailty, so improve hand strength to help prevent falls. Having strong hands can also help decrease symptoms of OA during everyday tasks. Exercise your hands and fingers regularly with resistance balls or hand grippers.

Do some heavy lifting

Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Participating in weight-bearing and resistance exercises is an effective way to build strong bones and improve your bone density score. Resistance exercises include lifting weights or using exercise bands. Weight-bearing exercises are activities that use gravity to strengthen your bones and muscles. Examples include:

• Dancing
• Stair-climbing
• Tennis
• Walking

Don’t let bone and joint problems slow you down. Contact the Touro Orthopedic & Spine Center today. To learn more about bone and joint health, register for the Amazing Agers seminar.