Osteopathic Tips to Protecting Your Joints this Winter
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Frosty windows, freezing temperatures, and ice roads can only mean one thing: we are in winters grip. For some, winter stirs up happy visions of skiing, cosy fireplaces, and Christmas pudding; for others, miserable cold and creaky joints.
The winter season can be especially difficult if you have joint problems, the cold making them even more stiff and painful than usual. Many people tend to lose mobility and flexibility in their joints when they reach the age of fifty, making what were once simple daily occurrences " such as walking or lifting things " quite painful. A few leading osteopaths offer their insights and advice on how to gear up your joints for winter:
MALE-SPECIFIC TIPS
- Prevent yourself from lifting too many heavy objects.
- Take care when carrying heavy loads on your back or shoulders " you do not want to put too much pressure on your knee joints.
ADVICE FOR WOMEN
- Do not wear heels that exceed 4cm in length " this way you minimize the risk of causing further injury to your ankles, knees, and back.
- Carry lighter handbags; heavy handbags can be damaging to your joints in the long run.
TIPS FOR BOTH GENDERS
- Be sure your joints are covered up when going out into the cold. Stockings or socks that cover the knees are a must. The same goes long gloves, jumpers, etc.
- After spending time in the cold, take a bath or shower and loosen up your joints in warm water.
- Follow a regular exercise program that test the ranger and mobility of your joints, but do not exceed your limit. Always stop when it becomes too painful.
- Get the right nutrition and regulate your weight " this not only keeps the joints healthy, but the lighter you are, the less pressure is exerted over your joints.
- Sleeping on a firm mattress is strongly advised for everyone " not just people with back or shoulder problems. While there is no universal ideal mattress, choosing the right mattress for you is not only important to getting enough sleep every night, but essential to preventing morning joint-stiffness.
- If you are suffering from arthritis (or symptoms of arthritis), it is advisable to wear an assistive device (such as knees, wrist, or ankle straps) around the joint that need the most support.
HOW OSTEOPATHS CAN HELP
Consulting an osteopath can be useful in many respects, especially because they can help diagnose what problems you have (joint pains can often be early symptoms of either Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis, so it is important to be cognisant of these problems before they get worse), and devise a treatment plan that suits your needs. Through a combination of exercises, massages, and therapeutic techniques, osteopaths can help minimize your symptoms and use their expertise about the muscular-skeletal system to your advantage.
Much of the above advise can be applied all your round, but it is important to take extra care during the winter season to protect painful and stiff joints. As long as you keep your joints active and warm, there is no reason for you not to enjoy the winter season.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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