Prevent degenerative arthritis and supplement collagen

Obesity is the public enemy, but if you are overweight and suffer from degenerative arthritis, it will make things worse and make you miserable! Doctors say that although degenerative arthritis is not a fatal disease, it has a huge impact on quality of life and health, and is a nightmare for obese people.

Osteoarthritis is a common disease among the elderly and becomes more severe with age.

Dr. Zeng Qingxiang, a practicing rehabilitation physician, pointed out that degenerative arthritis is a common, chronic, progressive disease of articular cartilage damage, which is particularly prone to occur in the joints of the hands, knees, hips and spine. It is a disease that is strongly related to age and occupational load.

Sports injuries can increase joint cartilage wear

Generally speaking, it rarely occurs in people under 40 years old, but after the age of 50, the prevalence of degenerative arthritis begins to increase with age. In addition to aging, obesity, diabetes, and a history of gout, factors that aggravate degenerative arthritis include: workers in the construction, forestry, agriculture, and mining industries, due to occupational loads, or athletes due to sports injuries.

Basically, for patients with degenerative arthritis, insufficient activity can easily cause joint stiffness, and excessive exercise will accelerate joint wear. Gentle and low-impact activities, such as swimming, are very suitable for knee joints, but the amount of exercise should be limited to the joints without discomfort or pain. If any related symptoms occur, you should rest.

In addition to diet, rehabilitation exercises can delay the recurrence of degenerative joint pain. (Photo by Zhang Shijie)

Nutrient supplementation to slow down degenerative arthritis

In terms of daily joint care, it is recommended to supplement some health foods, such as: glucosamine, collagen, chitin, injection or oral administration of hyaluronic acid. Collagen is a very important protein in the human body. It is mainly found in connective tissue, especially in cartilage. It has the ability to strengthen stretching and is the main component of ligaments and tendons.

Basically, type II collagen only exists in cartilage tissue, maintaining the function of bone joints, and can directly replenish the loss of articular cartilage and promote the synthesis of new chondrocytes. According to foreign clinical studies, oral low-dose collagen can inhibit the autoimmune attack of joints.

Dietary Control to Prevent Joint Degeneration

1. [Should eat more]: Foods rich in gelatin and chondroitin, which are beneficial to the repair of joint cartilage, such as pig ears, tendons, shellfish, dried fish, fungus, kelp and other foods.

2. [Should eat less]: spicy barbecue, or greasy and moist food, such as tobacco, alcohol, fatty meat, chili pepper, barbecue and other foods. At the same time, you should control your weight and avoid obesity.

6 Tips to Protect Joints

1. Don’t walk for too long continuously, walk in moderation. When your knees feel uncomfortable, you should rest immediately. "Rest is for walking a longer way." Do not sit or stand for too long, and try not to maintain a fixed posture for too long.

2. Avoid half-squatting, full-squatting or kneeling postures, such as horse stance, Tai Chi, etc.

3. Maintain an ideal body weight to reduce the burden on your knees.

4. You can wear long pants to keep your knees warm, or wear knee pads to protect your knees.

5. Lift less heavy objects, go up and down stairs less often, and don’t wear high heels.

6. Avoid trauma and excessive labor.

Dr. Zeng Qingxiang (left) pointed out that proper rest and avoiding excessive fatigue can reduce the risk of joint degeneration. (Photo by Zhang Shijie)

Home rehabilitation care tips

【Daily proper rest】:

1. Increase activities and work gradually in a planned manner to avoid excessive fatigue.

2. The amount of rest and work required depends on the condition of the disease. You can ask a doctor or therapist for guidance.

Symptoms of knee arthritis:

1. Pain: Especially squatting, going up and down stairs, going up and down slopes, and walking for too long will cause joint pain and swelling (clear yellowish liquid is extracted) and the pain lasts for more than 6 months.

2. The joints are red, swollen, and hot, and the angles are limited.

3. Joint stiffness: especially when getting up after sleeping for a while.

4. Feeling of sound during activities.

5. Muscle atrophy and weakness.

6. Deformed legs (O-shaped legs).

7. Daily life is affected.

Conservative treatment of knee arthritis:

1. Rehabilitation physical therapy: hot and cold compresses, warm baths, showers, electrotherapy, shortwave therapy.

2. Lose weight: Increase physical activity and reduce food intake to lose weight.

3. Health care medicine: take anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Or supplement health foods, such as hyaluronic acid and glucosamine.

4. Choose suitable shoes.

5. Increase knee sensation or wear a knee pad to reduce medial pressure.

6. Participate in gentle, non-impact exercises.

7. Acupuncture treatment.

[Health Education Exercise: Quadriceps Muscle Strength Training]:

1. Posture: Bend your feet and place them on the bed.

2. Action: Hook your feet upwards, use your thighs to slowly lift your legs, and keep your knees straight, lift them to the height of the opposite knee joint and then slowly lower them. Repeat 10 times. Switch feet. It is recommended to use once in the morning and once in the evening. If you are unable to lift your legs, start by just leaving the bed. There should not be any discomfort or pain while performing the exercise.