Arthritis is known as one of the reasons why older people experience joint and muscle pain. More recently, however, it has also taken its toll on younger people. These people went to see their doctors to seek for advice on how to treat or find a cure for this illness.
The Indian Times featured Dr. Shekhar Agarwal, Executive Director and Chief Surgeon at Delhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics who said that there are simple steps to follow in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis. These simple steps help realize the long-term goal of treating arthritis. He then detailed some ways to ease the pain cause by arthritis.
Dr. Agarwal said that the first step is diet modification. You have to include good portions of food, thus avoiding saturated or trans-fat as this leads to weight gain which will be bad for the joints because of too much load. Try to consider food that can reduce the pain like Omega 1 fatty acids, which is an anti-oxidant that helps reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
The doctor recommends food such as soya beans, sea food and walnuts. Fresh fruits like oranges, lemon and pepper are rich in Vitamin C are good for arthritis. He added that food which contain beta carotene like carrots and turnips is also a good food choice because of its antioxidant. Lastly, he suggested that patients with arthritis eat sea foods and drink milk as they contain Vitamin D which is important for the bones and joints.
Next, he recommended exercise. As we all know, staying fit and healthy isn't only about diet but exercise as well in order to strike a balance. He said exercise that helps strengthen and tone the muscles in order to have power is best. This will ensure that the other joints and muscle beside the affected area won't be affected as well.
He said that weight bearing exercises like walking or cycling would be good to try. These exercises preserves bone density which help avoid having osteoporosis. After these exercises, strength and balance help in avoiding any kind of falls, this lowers the risk of breaking a bone as well. If unsure, you can always consult with the trainer about which routine would be good.
Lastly, he said that physiotherapy can help in having range of motion which is helpful for the stiff joints and building strength on the muscles around the joints. A physiotherapist will guide the patient with posture in order to achieve the correct movement. And of course, weight management is the best tool. Every pound of weight gained is another load for the joints.