Bone and Joint Health National Action Week (Oct 12-20)
- Posted on: Oct 12 2018
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Bone and Joint Action Week is a national event held annually October 12 to 20. The week focuses on raising awareness for the prevention and treatment of back pain, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Here at GO Imaging, we understand that education is one of the best ways to help the public prevent a plethora of medical issues. With that in mind, below you’ll find some facts and ideas to keep in mind related to these common bone and joint ailments.
Arthritis – Risk Reduction, Diagnosing and Treatment
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “an estimated 54.4 million US adults (22.7%) annually had ever been told by a doctor that they had some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia.”
Unfortunately, there is currently no guaranteed way to prevent arthritis. Still, there are some things you can do to assist in keeping your joints healthy, and delay the potential onset of some types of arthritis. These things include, but aren’t limited to:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Exercising
- Reducing or eliminating the number of alcoholic beverages you consume
- No smoking
- Eating a healthy diet that is low on sugar, full of leafy greens, and lean proteins
Before implementing any dietary changes, or starting an exercise regimen, it’s a good idea to discuss it with your primary care doctor. They may be able to help guide you on your journey to increase your odds of success.
How do you know if you have arthritis?
If you suspect you have arthritis, discuss it with your doctor. After a physical exam, should they agree with your suspicions, they may recommend blood tests, or X-Rays to confirm the diagnosis. You can schedule an X-ray in Humble or an X-Ray in Houston.
Click here to learn more about our X-Ray services.
Osteoporosis – The Thinning of Your Bones
The CDC found “16.2% of adults aged 65 and over had osteoporosis at the lumbar spine or femur neck.” They went onto say that, “48.3% of adults aged 65 and over had low bone mass at the lumbar spine or femur neck.”
Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle over time. This can lead to small fractures, and even severe breaks commonly in the hip, wrist, and spine. Typically people don’t even realize they have osteoporosis until a break occurs.
Many of the same prevention measures for arthritis can also help you prevent osteoporosis – things like exercising and maintaining a healthy weight. Additionally, ensuring you are getting enough vitamin D and calcium may help you to prevent the disease.
Eliminating, Reducing and Preventing Back Pain
The National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reported that, “Low back pain (LBP) is the second most common cause of disability in US adults and a common reason for lost work days. An estimated 149 million days of work per year are lost due to LBP. The condition is also costly with total costs estimated to be between 100–200 billion dollars annually, two-thirds of which are due to decreased wages and productivity.”
At the risk of sounding like a broken record here, maintaining a healthy diet and weight are your best methods of preventing back pain issues. In fact, losing weight and getting healthier can often be all one needs to reduce or even eliminate back pain. To further assist you if you are already suffering from back pain however, you may also want to add things like physical therapy, yoga, and stretches to your routine.
Bottom Line: Diet and Exercise Goes a Long Way
Though our activities and the things we consume can’t prevent every ailment, they can certainly go a long way in reducing our risk of having health issues. We hope this post inspires you to get healthier – not just to help your bones and joints, but to improve your quality of life overall. And, should you need us for diagnostic testing in the future, we’ll be here for you. Click here to learn more about our facilities.
