Protecting your bones & joints during the COVID-19 pandemic

Protecting your bones & joints during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID 19 is a rather unique and unprecedented crisis that has raised many questions relating to people of all ages. If you search the internet, you will find so much information that has already been published about the outbreak of COVID-19. Everyone has published their own views and thoughts and it is difficult to determine which information is appropriate or even accurate. Analyzing the current situation, it is likely we are now stepping into the second wave of COVID 19, and as things evolve, it becomes even more important to devise new ways and means to take care of your health.

The outbreak of COVID-19 forced the whole world into lockdown. People have been forced to stay at home and spent most of their time with their families. Many businesses are also closed and employers are working online from their homes. It has not only affected the mental well-being of people but their physical wellbeing too. If you are experiencing pain in your joints, then it may be due to inflammation in your body. Inflammation usually targets your body’s joints and fills your joints with extra fluids, causing swelling, muscle damage, and much more. There are several ways by using which you can manage the inflammation of your joints by staying at home. All you have to do is remember a famous acronym, RICE. It stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Suppose there is inflammation in your knee joint, and you are experiencing pain in it; you can wrap it up (compression), use an ice pack over the wrap (ice), while your leg is elevated on a couch or any other surface (elevation and rest).

As you have to stay at home most of your time, your physical movements are very limited. Due to the lack of physical movement, there are some serious threats to your health, especially your bones and joints’ health.

Before the outbreak of this pandemic, people used to travel to their work, do daily exercises, play outdoor sports, meet their friends, but unfortunately, from the past several months, all these things have been limited and people have become more sedentary. As they are confined to their homes, their muscles and joints do not get proper stimulation and weaken over time. You need to take special care of your bone and joint health. Bones play an important role in supporting our body’s movements and so it is critical to ensure your bone health.

In this article, we will discuss some tips that will help you take care of your bones and joints, especially during COVID 19.

Take the Necessary Actions To Ensure Your Safety

If you have a healthy body, but your bones and joints are weak, then there is hazardous. So, it is crucial to take care of your bones and joints’ health especially during  COVID 19. You have to take the necessary actions to ensure that you are safe from any kind of injuries and fractures. In addition, hospitals may be busy dealing with COVID 19 patients and have limited resources. The health care authorities have advised people to stay at home and avoid going to the hospitals until and only if it is essential.

Older adults suffering from chronic conditions like diabetes, lung problems, heart, and kidney diseases need to pay extra attention to their bones and joints’ health. Bone or joint injuries amidst the pandemic could potentially worsen a pre-existing chronic condition.

What Measures Can You Take?

If you want healthy bones and joints during COVID 19, then you need to take the following measures:

Manage Inflammation – Use Anti-Inflammatory Medications as required

In the early stages of the COVID 19 outbreak, many people felt that using NSAID(nonsteroidal and anti-inflammatory) drugs could worsen the symptoms of COVID 19.  These medicines were often given to patients suffering from bones and joint problems. But many studies were conducted, and none of them provided any evidence that confirmed the association between NSAIDs and COVID-19.

Suppose you are feeling pain in your joints. You can manage it at home by taking anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to manage your pain and take proper rest until you become sure that you have recovered completed from any kind of inflammation. Left untreated, joint inflammation could get exponentially worse and progress into chronic inflammation

Make A Routine And Exercise Properly

One of the commonest reasons behind bone and joint problems is the lack of movement. As discussed earlier, many people are now confined to their homes and outdoor activities are limited. As such, even healthy adults can start facing problems with their bones and joints which may become weak over time due to less movement. So, persevere to make a healthy routine in which exercise an important part of this routine. You can start your day with early morning exercise. If you cannot go outside, you can do in-home exercises as they will help you create some movement in your body and increase your bone strength.

Eat Healthily

Make sure you are paying proper attention to your diet. A healthy and balanced diet is critical. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables daily as they contain the necessary nutrients and vitamins needed to strengthen your bones. It will also improve your metabolism that will help you to stay energetic all day.

Stay In Touch With Your Doctor

Make sure to stay in touch with your doctor and keep him or her informed about your health. This is all the more essential for elderly citizens above the age of 60. If you use tobacco or alcohol, then try to avoid them for a few months until things get normal. If you feel that your condition is not improving or you are feeling irritation or pain in your bones or joints, then immediately consult with your doctor and follow all the precautions that you are advised to abide by.

If you have any questions regarding your joints or bones’ health or want to get more information, you can contact Dr. Gowreeson Thevendran or visit www.orthofootMD.com