Thai society has entered the aging society phase for some time now, so it is not surprising that degenerative diseases of the body have increased accordingly, especially bone and joint diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Professor Dr. Thaninith Chotanaputi, a specialist in joint replacement surgery at Phyathai Hospital, has provided information that out of more than 10 million people over 60 years old, at least nearly 2 million have joint problems… So how can we take care of the elderly to keep them away from this disease? Let’s find out.
The more weight… the higher the risk of osteoarthritis
Because body weight is a common cause, if you can lose weight, you can reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis… Therefore, you should control your weight to stay within the standard range and not let yourself become obese. In addition, avoid risky behaviors that cause excessive pressure or friction on the knees, such as squatting, kneeling, sitting on your heels, or sitting cross-legged.
Get some sunlight… for strong bones
Low vitamin D levels in the body also reduce calcium absorption. Therefore, we should get some sunlight to increase vitamin D intake, such as walking in the morning sunlight when it is not too strong or taking vitamin D supplements to ensure adequate calcium intake. You may also take a multivitamin once a week to get more complete nutrients.
Exercise is the most important for bone strength
The most important thing is exercise. The best method is swimming, but swimming is difficult for the elderly in our country. Therefore, the easiest way is walking, which helps improve balance, strengthen muscles, and strengthen bones. However, it is necessary to find a good and suitable environment with someone to take care of you.
If you have osteoarthritis, you can still exercise. Doctors will prescribe pain relief medication. When the pain decreases and muscles become stronger, you can do more exercise activities.
Now that we know this, let’s take care of our bones to be strong from an early age so that when we grow old, we won’t suffer from osteoarthritis.