There is nothing superfluous in our body. Each “gear” pushes the other, forcing the body to work properly as one large system. But parts wear out and fail, like any technically complex structure. And here it’s up to you to decide: periodically arrange medical examinations for your organic “equipment” or use expensive means for treatment. In the article we will talk about how to protect joints, prolong mobility and youth, and also what to do if changes in the joints have already begun.
The structure of cartilage
Cartilage tissue is the same throughout the body, so let’s look at its structure, for example, in the knee joint. Cartilage, made up of collagen and elastin fibers, covers the end of the bone. It is a type of connective tissue that lacks nerves and blood vessels. Nutrition and restoration of living cells occurs through synovial fluid.
Between the two bones are menisci, a type of cartilage riddled with fibers. Menisci are harder and denser than hyaline cartilage, so they resist pressure better and have higher tensile strength.
The cartilage covering the bones is 5-6 mm thick and consists of several layers. Ideally, they have a dense and smooth consistency and act as a kind of shock absorber, so the bones slide when the joint is flexed and extended relative to each other.
The size of the gap in different joints ranges from 1.5 to 8 mm
Youthful joints
Unless you are the hero of the Hollywood movie Benjamin Button, then with age you are not in danger of rejuvenation.
Old age and wear and tear of the body is a natural and inevitable process, but it can and should be delayed as much as possible. Of course, some parts of the body easily respond to preventive and even corrective methods in the fight for youth. With joints, the situation is more global, more resource-intensive and more thorough. But it's worth it anyway. Why?
Because, in fact, we hold ourselves together on our joints. As long as you move painlessly and energetically, you are young. As long as your spine bends, you are young. As long as you don't shuffle the floor like Werther the robot, you're young. As long as you can calmly bend down to your toes without fear of being painfully stuck in this position, you are young. But without proper support, this condition will not last long. On average, by the age of 25, joints begin to age and lose elasticity. It sounds counterintuitive, but bodybuilders and professional athletes wear out their joints faster than the average person with average mobility.
So, in addition to honor, joints also need to be protected from a young age.
What does joint health depend on?
Lifestyle for strong joints
This is a whole range of measures to maintain the tone of the musculoskeletal system. First of all, nutrition, along with which the body must receive the necessary vitamins and minerals so that the vessels use this resource for as long as possible and maintain quality. Vitamins most valuable for joints and ligaments:
Drinking regime for healthy joints.
Water is a source of life-giving moisture for joint (synovial) fluid. The joint is isolated from the “external world”, there are no blood vessels in it, so the only source of nutrition for it is synovial fluid. Viscous, yellowish, acting as a shock absorber between cartilages. The quality of the fluid and the life expectancy of the joints depend on how well the body is provided with water.
Metabolism, hormones and joints
Weight and its fluctuations have a significant negative impact on joints. Just imagine the load on the legs of a person weighing 55 kg and 105 kg. The entire skeletal system, tendons, ligaments and muscles suffer. But not only from the physical pressure of extra pounds, but also from metabolic disorders. It is known that as adipose tissue grows, it becomes a full-fledged hormonal organ, where leptin, the so-called slimming hormone, is produced in large quantities, but the hypothalamus does not perceive it. The hormone “walks” through the blood unbound. It becomes extremely difficult for people to lose weight and the hormone activates the sympathetic division of the peripheral nervous system. Because of this, blood pressure increases, inflammatory processes actively develop, a “favorable environment” is created for the development of blood clots, and negatively affects the musculoskeletal system. Excess fat tissue and kilograms on the scale are a trigger for pathological changes in cartilage cells, as a result of which the cartilage tissue loses its elasticity and cracks form in it - and this leads to the development of arthrosis of the knee and hip joints, gout, and osteoarthritis of the knee joints.
How to lose weight and stay healthy
Joint injuries
Excessive fanatical sports activities, careless falls, injuries, fractures, sprains, professional injuries in athletes, surgical interventions, any tissue damage can trigger irreversible consequences. For some, this process takes years and joint diseases make themselves felt only in old age, while for others, disorders and consequences appear earlier.
Even high heels and tight shoes can injure joints. This is why it is so important to use orthopedic foot correctors, silicone inserts and insoles. These simple things can seriously affect the joints of the feet, legs and spine. Regular correction and careful self-care will prolong a good quality of life, maintain health and mobility for many years.
What are foot correctors and how do they save you from arthritis?
Sports and minimal exercise
Hypokinesia is a situation in which a person’s motor activity decreases, either forced or due to lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle, partial or complete paralysis, laziness, asthenia, or a period of illness with bed rest also play a big role in the health of the joints, provoking changes. The joint must be in motion. The minimum useful thing you can do to maintain joint tone is walking, daily minimal physical activity - climbing stairs, warming up, running, swimming pool. Heredity Dysplasia is a violation of the mobility and biomechanical properties of joints. Diagnosed in newborns and babies 1 year of age. Those who are unlucky enough to have such a diagnosis are at risk of developing arthritis (osteoarthritis). Some people have a defective gene that is responsible for the formation of cartilage tissue. This leads to inevitable and rapid wear of the joints and the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Medicines and dietary supplements for joints
Joint diseases are an irreversible disease, but, like osteochondrosis, it can be slowed down as much as possible or stopped altogether. The most important thing is to start acting on time.
Alflutop
Artra
Teraflex
Don
Chondroitin
Honda Forte Evalar
Joint prostheses
The concept of a joint prosthesis includes an imitation of synovial fluid, a joint fluid prosthesis. This is a solution that is injected exclusively by a doctor into the joint cavity, filling the gap between the cartilage. Such injections are the last solution to save the joint from damage and inflammation, which is taken by a specialist.
Fermatron
The active substance of the drug is sodium hyaluronate. Fermatron is a solution for a single injection into the knee joint and is a natural substitute for joint fluid.
The drug restores the visco-elastic and protective properties of the joint fluid;
reduces inflammatory reactions; eliminates pain syndrome; increases joint mobility; stimulates the body's own production of hyaluronic acid. Indicated for any stage of osteoarthritis and after surgical interventions.
The effectiveness of the drug has been clinically proven and is achieved after the fourth injection; is administered intra-articularly at intervals of 7 days. Maintains results for a long time.
Hyalur
In addition to hyaluronic acid, the composition contains sodium chloride and chondroitin sulfate. The use of chondroitin sulfate together with sodium hyaluronate helps to significantly slow down degradation and stimulate cartilage regeneration. Performs all the functions of a joint fluid substitute - provides joint mobility and performs protective functions. Enter once. After injection into the intra-articular cavity, rest for up to 48 hours and limitation of physical activity are indicated.
Haimovis
The drug is a synovial fluid prosthesis in the form of a solution of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Like all prostheses, it is inserted into the intra-articular cavity by injection. It is a visco-elastic hydrogel. Performs protective functions, protects tissues and joints from damage. Stimulates the restoration of synovial fluid viscosity and effectively reduces pain, restores and preserves joint function in patients with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. The biomechanical and biological characteristics of the drug make it possible to use it for diseases caused by sports.
Main components of cartilage
Cartilage consists of two types of fibers:
- Collagen - large molecules intertwined in triple helices. They occupy about half of the intercellular space and, thanks to this structure, successfully resist deformation. Collagen makes cartilage elastic.
- Elastin - allows the cartilage to return to its original position, making it elastic.
Most of the intercellular space is occupied by water. The more it is, the better the functioning of the synovial fluid, which supplies the cartilage with nutrients from meat, fish, vegetables and other foods indicated for arthrosis. If there is not enough water, the joint fluid loses its viscosity, becomes less fluid, and the cartilage tissue does not receive everything it needs for normal functioning.
If there is a lack of water in the body, cartilage suffers
How much water should you drink per day to keep your joints healthy? Recommendations from a famous doctor:
Working on joint position
Joints are a mechanism. When one of the parts of the mechanism is installed incorrectly, everything goes wrong. Two signs that a joint is not centered in the socket are pain and limited mobility.
For example, if, when trying to perform deep squats, you cannot sit below parallel, or when returning to the starting position you cannot fully straighten at the hip joint, the head of the bone is most likely displaced forward.
You cannot stretch with such changes - you will only aggravate the situation.
What to do: if there is pain or even just discomfort, consult a doctor or a highly qualified instructor - they will help return the bone to the center of the elastic cavity.
What is the role of glycosamines
Synovial fluid contains glycosamines, which are produced by cartilage tissue. It is this component that is recommended to be taken for recovery, since it binds cells, making tissues more resistant to stretching and stronger. If the concentration of glycosamines in the joint decreases, the cartilage tissue loses its resistance to stress and becomes more sensitive to damage.
Taking glucosamines is one of the important steps in the treatment of arthrosis
Improved motor control
First of all, make sure that you perform the movements correctly not only in training, but also in everyday life.
Americans call this stage improvement of motor control. For example, control your movement not only when lifting a barbell in training, but also when lifting bags in a store - then you will not have back pain and there will be no stiffness in your lower back. Training takes only three hours a week. If you spend the rest of the time moving incorrectly, then these three hours will not help you much.
What to do: Constantly monitor your body.
Is it possible to independently restore damaged cartilage?
Chondrocytes are cells within cartilage that produce the necessary substances for its restoration. They have a high metabolic rate and regenerate quickly, but there is one problem. The composition of cartilage contains only 2-3% chondrocytes, so cartilage tissue does not completely recover on its own.
Damaged cartilage rubs against each other if there is not enough synovial fluid, causing pain to the person. For the treatment of arthrosis or osteoarthritis, taking chondroprotectors is not enough, since the destruction process occurs faster than recovery. Experienced orthopedists recommend intra-articular injections of the synovial fluid substitute Noltrex. The drug separates rubbing surfaces and acts as a shock absorber.
Noltrex does not restore cartilage, but it does stop its breakdown and relieve pain.
Food for joints
What do joints eat?
- Protein
, as a building element of the whole organism, is vital for joints. There should be neither more nor less. Normally, 100 to 120 grams of protein per day. Depending on lifestyle, amount of physical activity and body type. Amino acids supplied with protein foods are a building tool for muscles, ligaments, cartilage and joints. Protein is the basis of synovial fluid, which contains joints.
- Jelly, jellied meat, aspic
- rich in proteins, which are necessary for cartilage and joints. In addition, jellied meat cooked in steep broth contains collagen, which in the form of jelly takes on the most effective form for absorption by the body.
- Fish
, especially fatty fish, rich in OMEGA-3, are necessary for the body to produce synovial fluid in sufficient quantities. In addition, foods rich in PUFAs perform a protective function and prevent destruction and dystrophic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
- Vegetable oils
- Excellent for both external and internal use. Regular use of oils for massage purposes improves blood flow and tissue nutrition. Taking oils internally saturates the body with valuable substances from the inside. For example, flaxseed oil contains potassium, zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, E, B, K and F, Omega fats - 3, 6, 9. A complete set of essential substances needed to strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
- Cherries, oranges, lemons
— contain large quantities of Vitamin C, which has healing properties on joints and metabolic processes in the body. Participates in collagen production processes and has an antioxidant effect.
How else to help cartilage
The rate of restoration of damaged cartilage tissue depends on the number and activity of chondrocytes. Therefore, they need to be provided with adequate nutrition through synovial fluid, as well as to speed up their metabolism. Active movements contribute to this in the best possible way.
The more you move, the faster cartilage tissue is restored
Prolonged immobility leads to muscle atrophy and reduction of cartilage tissue, since it does not receive enough nutrients. Therefore, the least you can do with arthrosis is to ensure that a sufficient amount of fluid enters the body and move - of course, without fanaticism, to the best of your ability!