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As we get older, our bones, joints, feet and hands are more prone to injury and ailments. Local experts share ways we can protect our bodies and some common causes of problems.
Doctors say that slowing down and taking a more leisurely pace in life are keys to reducing bone and joint injuries.
Marilyn Julian’s feet are so numb at times, she can’t even move them.
She suffers from neuropathy — damage to the nervous system — stemming from an allergic reaction to chemotherapy. The 70-year-old Tulsan sometimes can’t even complete a simple task, such as walking.
“It’s hard to describe,” Julian says. “It’s like my foot or hand goes to sleep. It’s like that all the time.”
Julian has found relief through water therapy, which increases the blood circulation to her hands and feet. She attends the therapy sessions about three times a week but would like to do more, she says.
“I’d love to just live there (in the pool),” she says.
Julian is not alone. Millions of senior citizens suffer from conditions in their feet and hands that keep them from enjoying everyday life.
Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the United States, usually affecting older individuals.
One form, osteoarthritis, occurs when the cartilage that pads the bones in a joint begins to wear away, eventually causing bones to rub against each other. It most often occurs in the hands, neck, lower back, knees and hips and can cause mild to constant pain affecting day-to-day life.
Doctors often see patients suffering from arthritic pain in their hands and fingers, as well as trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome, says Brian Chalkin, an orthopedic surgeon with The Orthopaedic Center at Hillcrest Medical Center.
He says patients who enjoy knitting or craftwork can incur injuries from overuse of these activities.
Other times, Chalkin says, patients have experienced traumatic conditions, such as falling and breaking a wrist or finger. He also sees many distal radius fractures in the spring as people are doing more work in their homes and gardens.
In feet, Chalkin says people can develop stress fractures, usually in the fifth metatarsal — the long bones — of the foot or the tarsal bones, found in the midfoot.
Postural instability is one cause of foot fractures, he says.
“As you get older, your balance isn’t the same. Sometimes your eyesight isn’t the same,” he adds, noting that as the body ages, an injury that may have at one time caused only a bruise could turn into a broken bone.
Osteoporosis, one of the most common afflictions among aging adults, can also play a role in fractures of the foot, Chalkin says. Osteoporosis is the loss of bone density over time.
According to the National Institute on Aging, millions of Americans suffer from the disease. Women, especially Caucasian and Asian women, are especially susceptible around menopause. But by age 65 to 70, men and women lose bone mass at the same rate.
PREVENTION
Slowing down is the simple preventive technique for many of these ailments, Chalkin says.
“The No. 1 thing I think they need to do is take their time and just be conscious,” he says. “Have a plan and be realistic. Have realistic goals on how much they want to do.”
He says he often sees patients trying to do too much all at once and then getting hurt.
“They had to get the lawn mowed,” he says. “They had to get the tree trimmed. They do this all in one day. They get fatigued and they get injured.”
Daily exercise, including strengthening exercises and stretching, can also help prevent injuries, Chalkin says. He adds that a physical therapist or athletic trainer should provide the routine.
According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, lower-body weakness and gait and balance problems are risk factors for falls among seniors. Exercises to enhance lower body strength can reduce this risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control, regular exercise is an important part of staying healthy. People who are active are more likely to live longer, feel better and they are able to maintain a healthy weight.
Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week., says Jennifer Lamb, R.N., gerontological clinical nurse specialist at St. John Health System.
“There’s been research that shows older adults who walk have less functional decline,” she says.
Patients can also take some simple steps in the home to prevent falls, she says, such as removing loose throw rugs, keeping floors clear of clutter, increasing lighting, adding grab bars to showers and tubs, and not walking in socks or ill-fitting shoes.
Chalkin also recommends a daily supplement of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which are available over the counter at local drugstores and which together have been found to be effective in treating arthritic joints in the hand and feet.
DIABETES’ ROLE
The American Geriatrics Society says diabetes is the most important disease affecting foot health in senior citizens and older adults. The risk of infection increases with diabetes because of blood pressure and tissue problems.
Diabetes can also cause wounds to heal more slowly, and with vision challenges associated with age, many older adults do not notice problems before they become serious, the Society says.
As a result of diabetes, senior citizens may develop painful, swollen ulcers on their feet, caused by an increase in glucose in the blood that damages the vessels, pressure from shoes, nerve damage and poor foot care.
Diabetes can lead to amputation of the foot, which the American Geriatrics Society says is preventable. The organization recommends that patients with diabetes examine or have a caretaker examine their feet every night.
WHAT ARE BONES, JOINTS, TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS?
Bones provide support to the body and help form the body’s shape. The two main components of bone are calcium phosphate and stretchy collagen.
The meeting of two bones is a joint. A joint makes the skeleton flexible; without them, movement would not be possible.
A tendon is a tough band of tissue that connects the muscle to the bone.
There are more than 650 muscles in the body. They include: skeletal muscles, found in areas such as the legs and arms; smooth or involuntary muscles, found in places we can’t consciously control, such as the walls of the stomach; and cardiac muscles, found in the heart.
Like a tendon, a ligament is a tough band of tissue. However, it connects bones to other bones.
Source: www.kidshealth.org
OTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AS WE AGE:
Fibromyalgia, which causes pain throughout the body, usually begins around age 45. It is found more often in women than men. With fibromyalgia, the brain interprets sensations in a more painful manner. Pain relievers can alleviate the symptoms.
Elbow bursitis can sometimes occur for no reason but often appears when the bursa, or sac, that cushions the elbow becomes inflamed with fluid. For treatment, the fluid can be drained and antibiotics prescribed.
With rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, small joints become inflamed, damaging surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease.
Source: The American Geriatrics Society Foundation
Jennifer Lamb, R.N., gerontological clinical nurse specialist at St. John Health System, recommends St. John Health Club’s program “Select Pass” for those seeking to improve their overall health. “Select Pass” is a two-month program for anyone, including seniors, to help restore function, balance and coordination; manage fatigue and pain; and reduce risk for falls. For more information, call the Healthy Lifestyles Program Center at 744-2730 or visit www.stjohnhealthclub.com.
