Bone and Joint Health and Fitness
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Just in time for Bone and Joint National Awareness Week – October 12-20:
Here is Bone and Joint Health and Fitness information – what can hurt and what can help you.
Bone and Joint data:
- 25% of Americans have a musculoskeletal condition that requires some kind of intervention.
- Musculoskeletal disorders are the #1 cause for disability in the United States.
Bone and Joint Disorders and Diseases can include:
- Spinal deformity or scoliosis
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis
- Bone and joint degeneration
Modern methods of intervention to improve Bone and Joint Health include:
- Western medicine and surgery
- Chiropractic care
- Massage
- Exercise
- Nutritional counseling
What kind of Nutrition can help my Bones and Joints?
On average (ask your doctor):
- 1000 mg per day of calcium
- 1000 mg per day of vitamin D
- 350 mg per day of magnesium
Dairy products, soy milks, almond milks, and yogurts usually have calcium with added vitamin D and magnesium. Dark green leafy vegetables are also excellent sources.
What kind of Exercise can help my Bones and Joints?
If you have chronic pain in a certain bone or joint area, it could signal weakness in the surrounding muscles. For example, many people have knee pain from years of pounding them in high-impact exercise or working on a cement floor. The best solution for knee pain is often to build up the muscles around the knees. Those muscles can then support the knee and cause less pain. Cross training on a bicycle is one way to build those muscles without adding impact. A personal trainer can help work those muscles through a series of sitting or lying leg exercises.
Some of the most recent studies on exercise and bone and joint health, as well as neurological health, point to the ancient study of Tai Chi as a great benefit.
Studies, such as one recently done at the Oregon Research Institute, indicate that people who regularly practice Tai Chi suffer fewer bone and joint injuries, because of the added stability and balance the exercise provides. Several controlled studies in Asia, where Tai Chi is a rich history of generations of practice, researchers found that women who practice Tai Chi are less likely to have problems with bone density.
Tai Chi is based on the principles of ancient martial arts in Asian Countries. Its practice goes far more into mind-body-spirit philosophy than it does in just biomechanics. People who practice Tai Chi often feel less anxious and less stressed, probably because of the focus with lack of impact.
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Find a Tai Chi live class near you with this American Tai Chi database.
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Try Tai Chi at home with this study course by Dr. Mark Cheng.