Dr. Amit Saini, Best orthopedician and knee replacement surgeon in Hisar suggests that “Osteoporosis can be prevented by taking a healthy diet and nutrients; it may reduce bone loss. He is suggesting some ways through which bone mass density can be maintained and a person can enjoy a happy life without feeling pain in bones and joints.

Ways to follow for healthy bones:

1. Take plenty of calcium and vitamin D: For bones to be strong and flexible, calcium-rich diet is necessary and for the absorption of calcium, vitamin D is essential. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, almonds, broccoli, kale, salmon, sardines and soy products. The natural and best source of getting vitamin D is Sunlight. The other major sources are mushrooms, eggs, fortified foods, milk and cereals, salmon, trout, whitefish, and tuna. The Institute of Medicine recommends 1,000 mg of calcium a day for most adults and 1,200 mg/day for women after menopause and men after 70.

2. Be physically active: a person should walk, run, dance, do yoga and aerobics on a regular basis for at least 30 minutes a day to keep bones healthy and strong. A physically active person is at less risk of getting osteoporosis as compared to less active.

3. Quit smoking and Drinking: Loss of bone mineral density is associated with smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Limit the dosage of smoking and alcohol to prevent the loss of bones as bad habits bring bad health.

4. Limit the use of Caffeine and Soda: an orthopedician suggests limited use of caffeine and cola drinks if one is suffering from joint pain and less bone mass density as caffeine can decrease the absorption of calcium in the body.

5. Eat vitamin-c rich food: Vitamin C is meant to stimulate the production of bone-forming cells, thus the intake of vitamin c is essential for bones.

Anyone can take or follow these steps to stop the “thinning” of bones, called osteopenia, and prevent osteoporosis. Consult your doctor if you are worried about your bone health or osteoporosis risk factors. An orthopedician may recommend a bone density check. The results will help your orthopedist to know your bone density and can assess your bone loss rate.

Disclaimer: The content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.

So to keep the joints healthy and strong, follow the tips given by Dr. Amit Saini (Joint replacement surgeon at Sapra Multispecialty Hospital)

1. Replenish your diet with essential vitamins

Keep your bones strong this winter by packing your diet with healthy calcium-containing foods or vitamin-like D, K and C which helps in absorption of calcium. Milk and yogurt are the natural choices, but there are lots of vegetable sources too, from leafy greens to oranges, lemon.

2. Keep the joints and bones warm

It is crucial to keep the joints warm. Your muscles tense and stiffen when you feel cold and shiver, making them more susceptible to injury and general discomfort. Warm water shower and thermals will keep your joints warm, flexible and revive the arthritis pain.

3. Exercising

Frequent exercising and brisk walking are necessary for the active joints in the winter. Exercising helps in strengthening of muscles and maintaining the body weight.

4. Limit the use of sodas and tea/coffee

Caffeinated drinks and other fizzy beverages reduce calcium absorption. And calcium deficiency can cause bone problems. Therefore, apart from having calcium-rich food, one should avoid having fizzy drinks so that the body absorbs the calcium you are having.

5. Right posture is Necessary

Half of the problems of joints are due to wrong posture habits. Right sitting and standing postures are necessary to keep the joint strong. Take care of your joints when you lift and carry heavy stuff.

Thus follow these simple habits and keep your joints and bones warm. If pain persists and joints get stiff, ask for the help of orthopedists.

Strain: Tendons are tissues that connect our muscles to bones and injury to this tissue is known as Strain. Strain can be of mild, moderate and severe based on tearing of tissue, pain, and swelling.

Sprain: Ligaments are the thick fibrous connective tissue that connects one bone to other bone and injury to the ligaments causes sprain in the body.

Causes:

The Strain is caused when excessive pressure is put on the muscles due to which they get stretched or pulled away from the bone whereas Sprain is caused due to an injury to the ligament which makes the joint difficult to move in the right direction. 

Symptoms:

Symptoms for sprains and strains are similar which include pain and swelling in the injured area, difficulty using or moving the injured area in a normal way, warmth, bruising or redness in the injured area.

Areas Affected:

In Sprain: most common is ankle joint, then knee, fingers, toes, and wrist.

In Strain: Lower Back, legs, Elbow. Elbow strain can be of two types: tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow.

Treatment

Both Sprains and Strains are treated in a similar way. Mild sprains and strains can be treated using home remedies and over-the-counter medications.

The main treatment for all sprains and strains is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Rest: Stay away from any physical activities that would put any pressure on the affected area.
Ice: Apply ice to the affected area every 2 to 3 hours for about 20 minutes each time.
Compression: Reduce swelling by wrapping the affected area with a stretchy bandage.
Elevation: Raise the injured area if possible.

For pain, over-the-counter pain relievers can be helpful.

If pain persists even after doing RICE treatment, evaluation by a specialist doctor or Orthopedician is required then. An orthopaedician will diagnose the root cause of the problem and determine how much damage has been caused due to an injury. If the injury is severe, like a complete tear, he may recommend surgery.