Carlos Solis
Our bodies are incredible machines — we often take their mechanics for granted until something goes wrong. How can people support their joints over a lifetime and avoid surgery?
What Doctors Recommend
1. Move as much as you can
Adults need at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. About half of adults get fewer than 30 minutes of activity per week that raises the heart rate. Even a small increase brings big health benefits.
Surgeons advise getting up and moving as soon as possible after fractures, because movement helps healing. Doctors warn about red flags — pain that wakes a person at night for several nights in a row, or the need for painkillers for more than a week.
2. Start with low-intensity movement
Stretching, using a stationary bike, or easy cycling make good starting points. After a few weeks, you’ll learn what feels right for you.
Do pelvic lifts. Lie on your back, bend your knees to 90 degrees, and lift your pelvis up. Add a resistance band around your thighs to recruit the glute muscles; this helps both hips and knees.
Don’t forget squats. Strong glutes and thighs make it easier to get up after a fall. If squats are too hard, climb stairs or do the “sit-to-stand” exercise to train the same muscles.
Make regular runs or walks of 5 km (about 3.1 miles) part of your routine if that works for you. The point is consistency. If running doesn’t fit your body, swim instead. Swimming and other aerobic workouts or gentle stretches all count. Two minutes of stretching is better than none. Don’t overdo it, and move your joints through their normal ranges of motion.
Do strength training. Strength exercises with weights or resistance are the best way to prevent arthritis, Garth says. Building muscle before an operation also matters. MacNelly says that after two hip replacements, her muscles were so strong that her last operation was outpatient. She regularly rode an electric bike for an hour before surgery, which helped her leave the hospital sooner.
3. Eat with your joints in mind
Doctors recommend whole, minimally processed foods, plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and home-cooked meals. Studies suggest that an imbalance in the gut microbiome can influence the onset and severity of inflammatory arthritis. Vitamins D and K support the musculoskeletal system, especially in winter. Fish oil, rich in omega-3s, has anti-inflammatory effects, but it isn’t a treatment for inflammatory arthritis. Experts remain cautious about supplements such as creatine, glucosamine, or chondroitin.
4. Lose weight if needed
Excess weight increases the load on joints and can promote inflammation.
5. Quit smoking
Smoking worsens the course of many conditions, and it’s particularly linked to more severe rheumatoid arthritis.
6. Choose your shoes carefully
Carbon-plated shoes helped set running records, but they change biomechanics and can create unexpected loads if the muscles aren’t ready. That shift can raise concern about stress fractures. The same caution applies to so-called “barefoot” trainers.
This article is based on reporting from The Guardian
