Selecting Your Joint Protection Means

Several ways to protect joints have been suggested, some comprehensive and some joint specific. The question now is which ones are appropriate for you. Some of these methods apply to everyone, and I strongly encourage you to incorporate them into your life. They include proper posture, appropriate shoes, and healthy diet.

Few people have ideal posture, yet it is relatively simple to make it better. Start by doing an overall analysis of your standing and sitting posture. Select one or two aspects to focus on, such as head and shoulder position. Next, identify a few visual or physical cues that you can use to reinforce proper posture. For example, when you walk, looking straight ahead (visual reinforcement) helps to position your head over your trunk. Every time you pass a mirror, check to see if your head and shoulders are up and slightly back. When I am driving, I use the headrest as a physical cue that my head is over my trunk; my head must be touching the headrest for proper alignment. Since posture is a factor in neck and back pain, tackling faulty posture may help decrease symptoms for those of you who suffer this sort of discomfort.

I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of proper shoes for exercise, especially if you have lower-extremity arthritis. Check your shoes at the beginning of each month, and if they are starting to look worn, replace them immediately. Do not wait until they are falling apart, which is likely to happen at the same time that you develop symptoms of pain or injury due to inadequate foot support. One gentleman that I treated had super-glued his sole together several times, and his toes had worn holes in the top of the shoe. Shortly after replacing his shoes, his symptoms subsided. Also, as mentioned earlier, do not buy a shoe because it is the cheapest one. Make sure the shoe meets your support needs and is appropriate for the exercise that you are doing.

You may think that diet management is not necessary because your weight is normal. However, I know very few people who have an ideal diet, myself included. Diet management applies to everyone. If your weight is normal and you eat a well-balanced diet, you may simply need to monitor your diet. If you do not have good eating habits or need to lose a bit of weight, then you should spend some time on this area.

Usually the first step when looking at nutrition is to analyze your present diet. In the resource list at the end of the book, I list the Web site for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which features an interactive program for analyzing your diet. Not only does it analyze your eating habits, you can also keep track of your diet and monitor changes. After analyzing your nutritional intake, identify areas that are weak and one or two changes that address that weakness. This process is similar to baseline testing for fitness and identifying your goals. Make small changes and, just as with exercise, monitor your progress. Again, if you find major deficiencies, you may wish to contact a registered dietitian to get expert help.

Supplements, although global in their effect, are an individual choice. Discuss them with your physician before taking any supplements. Most physicians do not discourage the use of glucosamine, since it appears to cause no serious side effects and since many individuals find that it delivers significant pain relief. If your pain is relieved by taking glucosamine instead of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, do so; the side effects are fewer, and the potential for maintaining cartilage health is a bonus.

Specific joint protection devices can cause more damage than they prevent if used incorrectly or not fitted properly. For most of them, you need to consult your physician or other health care specialist. You can try a few over-the-counter devices during the early stages of arthritis, such as flexible wrist supports or heel cushions. Since they have a limited effect on joint mechanics, the potential for damage is also minor. The key to determining whether you need a device is the amount and type of stress you place on the joint. Braces are probably most necessary if you engage in an activity that stresses the joint by rotating or sideways movements, such as tennis or skiing. In any case, neither an over the-counter device nor a custom-fit apparatus prescribed by your physician should increase your joint pain. If it does, something is wrong and needs to be corrected.

Once you choose exercises and joint protection strategies, you are ready to participate in an exercise program and reap all of the benefits that come with it. In the next chapter, I will discuss some ideas to help you stick with your program once you have gotten started. Even the most dedicated athletes confront potential breaks in their training. The key to success is preventing those training stoppers that you can, and coming back quickly from those that you cannot prevent.