No matter how cold the weather is, you can always see some girls barefoot on the streets, looking fearless of the cold. Whenever elders see such scenes, they will always nag, "Don't think you're young, don't be gentle and gentle, when you get old and your joints hurt, you'll know how to cry.

In fact, are the words of elders purely meant to scare people, or do they really have scientific basis?

What behavioral habits can wear down joints?

Our joints, like our bodies, age with age. And some daily habits can accelerate the process of joint wear and tear.

High intensity exercise. Many people enjoy exercising in the gym, but some exercises such as squats and weight-bearing squats can be very damaging to the knee joints. In addition, incorrect running posture can also cause knee injuries.

Not losing weight even after being overweight. Obese individuals have a heavier body weight, and their knees bear more weight. Over time, this can cause wear and tear on the knee joints.

I love wearing high heels. When we wear high heels, it is difficult for the muscles to maintain the stability of the body, so we need to compensate for the force through the hip and knee joints. Long term wearing of high heels will greatly increase the pressure on the knee joints, leading to wear and tear.

How to protect joints in daily life?

Some people say that running hurts the knee, but walking won't damage the knee joint, right? In fact, to protect knee joint health, there are also considerations for the number of steps taken in a day.

Zhang Rongkai, Deputy Chief Physician of the Joint Surgery Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, suggests that it is more appropriate for healthy individuals to take around 10000 steps per day. [1] For individuals with underlying leg diseases, it should be less than this standard.

The following measures can also be taken in daily life to protect joints.

Pay attention to keeping your joints warm. Don't wear a skirt barefoot just to look good in autumn and winter. Try to wear thick pants, and after returning home, use a hot water bottle, hot towel, or other hot compress on the joints. Avoid air conditioning and fans blowing directly onto joints in summer.

Exercise appropriately. Although excessive exercise can damage the knee joint, moderate exercise can improve blood circulation near the joint, control weight, and reduce the burden on the knee. For people who already have joint rheumatism and other diseases, appropriate exercise can also relieve pain.

Reduce joint load. Proper protection should be given to affected joints, such as the knee joint, to reduce joint load and avoid wearing high heels. Pay attention to relaxing joints in a timely manner after prolonged walking or running.

Maintain sufficient nutrient intake. The health of joints requires sufficient protein maintenance, and attention should be paid to a balanced intake of high-quality protein and various nutrients in diet. In addition, it is important to control salt intake as overeating can lead to elevated blood pressure, which can affect joint health.

Do I have to change my joint if I have osteoarthritis?

Once suffering from arthritis, patients will suffer from pain, and this disease is very difficult to cure. Generally, the following treatment methods are used.

Firstly, medication is used for treatment, mainly by taking or injecting pain relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce patients' pain and alleviate inflammation symptoms. It is suitable for people with mild symptoms, mainly pain, and without underlying diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Next is surgical treatment. If the patient's condition has progressed to a certain stage and has seriously affected their daily life and walking, surgical treatment is necessary.

Surgical treatment includes arthroscopic debridement, which involves removing bone fragments that cause joint movement disorders;

High tibial osteotomy, which involves cutting the tibia at a high position, can correct joints with incorrect force application; [2]

Artificial joint replacement surgery is the most thorough treatment method, which involves removing the affected joint and replacing it with a healthy one.

Artificial joint replacement surgery is suitable for patients with advanced arthritis, severe joint damage, inability to walk, bed rest, and even the risk of amputation. After replacing the new joint, the patient can regain the ability to walk.

What department should I see for osteoarthritis?

Although osteoarthritis has the word 'bone' in its name, it should not be treated in orthopedic surgery. The treatment of osteoarthritis should first go to the rheumatology and immunology department. If it develops to the point where bone and joint replacement surgery is necessary, then it is necessary to go to the orthopedics department.

The treatment of osteoarthritis mainly depends on the timing of treatment. The earlier it is detected, the better the therapeutic effect. The second is medication. For people with basic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, etc., a comprehensive evaluation should be carried out before using painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

For patients with mild symptoms, medication treatment can be initiated first, and surgery can be considered if the condition continues to worsen.

Additional reading: 3 tips for self testing arthritis

Joints are very fragile organs, and occasionally walking too much or being blown by the wind can cause discomfort. But what symptoms can indicate that one has arthritis?

Firstly, check for redness and swelling in the joint area, as acute arthritis can cause knee swelling and redness. Secondly, feel if the joint skin is heating up. Generally speaking, the temperature of the joint is lower than that of the surrounding area, but if the joint is heating up on its own, it may indicate inflammation.

Finally, and most importantly, check if there is pain in the joints. If the joints continue to feel pain for several days, it may be arthritis.

When hearing joint pain, many people may blurt out, "Arthritis?" Like various organs in the human body, joints are subject to wear and tear from daily use and also age with age.

But if you pay attention to protection in daily life, you can delay this process. If unfortunately suffering from arthritis, it is also necessary to actively cooperate with treatment.