Your body is made up of a framework that includes hundreds of bones, joints and muscles. Bone and joint injuries, including trauma and degenerative diseases like arthritis, can affect your bone and joint health and limit your ability to walk and move the way you want. It’s important to keep moving and use your bones and joints to stay active for a lifetime. The more you move, the healthier your bones and joints will stay.

Preventing bone and joint injury

Your bone and joint health is an important part of your overall health That’s why taking steps to prevent bone and joint injury is critical. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a weekend warrior, you can follow these tips to help prevent bone and joint injury during activity: 

• Warm up your muscles before every exercise session or sports activity and leave time to cool down afterward.
• Do some stretching every day to keep your muscles and your joints from becoming stiff and increase your range of motion.
• Work on strength building through resistance training, light weights and exercises that build core muscles.
• Learn to use proper technique whether you are stretching or on the field.

If you’re an older adult, you may not be as active as before, but preventing
bone and joint injury is just as important. Your best prevention tools include:

Stay
Active

You’ve heard the phrase “use it or lose it,” and that applies to your bones and joints. Do some light stretching and take a walk every day.

Learn about Fall Prevention

One major way you can avoid a fracture is to check your home for potential dangers that could lead to a fall. Assistive devices, such as railings in the shower, or a walker, can help ensure that you can get around safely.

Calcium
Supplements

In later years, your doctor may recommend taking calcium supplements to help keep your bones and joints healthy.

Diagnosing and treating bone and joint conditions

Symptoms of a bone or joint condition may include swelling, aching or tenderness at the site. If you suffer from a traumatic injury, such as fracture, you will have symptoms such as intense pain, sudden swelling and not being able to move the bone or joint. 

If you do suffer from a bone or joint injury, your treatment will depend on your condition. For example, for mild joint pain you may take over-the-counter pain relief. More advanced conditions, such as arthritis and injuries, may require treatment
options, including: 

• Medication management, including prescription medications to help reduce swelling and pain.
• Rehabilitation, including physical therapy exercises to help keep your bone and joints moving and help you regain movement you may have lost.
• Total joint replacement — a surgical option when medication and other treatments no longer help relieve your pain.

Learn More

Balance, HCR ManorCare's comprehensive health and wellness blog, supplies readers with healthy ideas throughout the year. The blog is designed to serve as a resource, not only for patients, residents and families, but for anyone who strives to live a healthy, "balanced" life. For more information and help making healthy choices, go to balance.hcr-manorcare.com.