Did you know that in addition to your diet, exercise is one of the best ways to make sure that you never lie on a hospital bed with a surgeon treating you for a bone disorder? Medical expertise has constantly pointed out to the fact that regular exercise makes your bones less likely to suffer from wear and tear during old age.

As you exercise, your muscles become stronger, your bone density increases and your balance improves. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to follow certain precautions before you exercise to avoid certain injuries.

Before starting any exercise program, make sure that you prepare your body for exercise. A brief warm up helps you to get your muscles ready for exercise. It also makes sure that your chances of injury are drastically reduced.

Here are some tips to keep your bones healthy:

Weight lifting: Weight lifting is a type of exercise that, if done correctly, will be extremely beneficial for your bones. You can opt for simple bodyweight exercises such as pushups and squats, which build muscle as well as strength. Avoid using very heavy weights as it causes back-related problems such as slipped disk.

Yoga: Yoga is another method of exercise which is very beneficial for bones and joints. The premise of yoga is static strength building wherein you hold a pose or an exercise for a certain period of time; this helps in strengthening your muscles. Along with your muscles, your bones also become stronger as you get fitter. Yoga is repetitive stress which is good for flexibility and hence keeps your joints supple and muscles in good shape. There are certain asanas which are weight bearing and anti-gravity postures can strengthen your bones. 

Swimming: Swimming again is a good aerobic exercise and is good for back and over all fitness but doesn't strengthen bone per se. It is a way to keep you healthy. Swimming is a cardiovascular exercise, which is also known for its calorie burning capabilities. It is also very effective is incinerating fat and keeping your skeletal system healthy. Whereas walking and jogging and running certainly build your bones as they are weight bearing exercises.

Pilates: Pilates is a new form of exercise that has been gaining a lot of steam lately. It does not require much equipment, as you can get started with just a mat. It is very effective in working your spine and the hips, thus keeping your lower back strong. A weak lower back increases the chances of bone disorders drastically.

How Exercise Can Help In Keeping Your Bones Healthy?

Throwing a ball, lifting something or even eating requires the use of the elbow joint. This is one of the most overused joints in the body and hence is very susceptible to wear and tear, which mostly causes pain. Pain in the elbow could be the result of an issue with the arm muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones or bursae. The treatment for this pain depends largely on the factors causing it. Some of the most common conditions that cause elbow pain are:

Golfer s Elbow
This condition is also known as 'Medial Epicondylitis'. It is caused by an overuse of the elbow muscles and affects the elbow s inner tendons. Resting the elbow, cold packs and the use of over-the-counter pain killers can usually relieve this sort of pain.

Tennis Elbow
This condition is also caused by repetitive actions and affects the elbow s outer tendons. It is also known as lateral epicondylitis. Resting the elbow can help this type of pain. In addition, patients may also need to wear an elbow strap or brace to support the joint. In some cases, physiotherapy may also be needed.

Student s Elbow
This is also commonly known as draftsman s elbow or olecranon bursitis. This condition affects the small fluid sacs or bursae in the elbow. These fluid sacs aid in the movement of the elbow. Leaning on the elbow for a long time, a sharp blow or an infection could be the cause of this condition. It can be treated with medication and elbow pads. In chronic and severe cases, surgery may also be needed.

Fracture or Dislocation
Falling on the elbow can lead to a bone being dislocated or a fracture in the joint. In such cases, the pain will be accompanied by swelling, discoloration and difficulty in moving the elbow. Fractures and dislocated bones need medical attention. Your doctor may advise you to wear a brace or a cast depending on the severity of the issue.

Sprains and Strains
Repeated stress or a trauma can result in a sprained or strained ligament. In such cases, the joint will feel unstable. Pain caused by these ligament conditions can be relieved by resting the elbow, applying a cold pack and wearing a brace to support the elbow. Sometimes, a doctor may also advise physiotherapy.

Panner s Disease
This condition is caused by dislodged pieces of bone and cartilage that could be the result of an injury. Young men are the most affected by it. Resting the joint and abstaining from lifting any weights can help relieve pain caused by Panner s disease. In some cases, physical therapy may also be recommended.

Elbow pain can be tricky to treat. Sometimes, it can just go away with rest or with the application of cold packs or rehabilitation exercises. The most important thing is to be patient and get the treatment process started. Make sure to consult with a doctor before treating any kind of elbow pain. Home remedies are best avoided when it's the elbow at stake.

Pain In Elbow - Know The Causes and How to Manage It

Osteoarthritis is a common disorder that affects the joints in the body. It is characterized by wear and tear of the cartilage present in the bones which lead to pain and mobility issues. The disorder mostly affects the joints in the hips, spine, knees and the hands. This disorder can t be cured; the symptoms, however, can be managed.

Symptoms

The symptoms of osteoarthritis are progressive in nature and tend to worsen with time. You will experience pain in the affected joint, leading to limited mobility. Joint stiffness occurs when you wake up in the morning or when you have been inactive for a long period. You will also experience a grating-like sensation when the respective joint is being used.  

Causes

This condition occurs when the protective cartilage around the bones tend to deteriorate. The function of the cartilage is to allow the joints to move without friction. In this disorder, the surface of the affected cartilage turns rough, ultimately resulting in complete damage. This leads to loss of the protective cushion of the bone, making the bone rub on other bones. There are certain factors that make you prone to osteoarthritis, some of them are:

Aging increases the risks of this disorder.

Women are more prone to this disorder as compared to men.

Obesity puts added stress on the joints.

It might be hereditary as well.

Ayurvedic Treatment

Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that balances the different energies in the body to keep you healthy. Ayurveda believes in the fact that a disorder in the body occurs when there is an imbalance in the respective doshas   Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The idea is to get the doshas in order in order to get relief from the symptoms of this disorder. Osteoarthritis, or for that matter any disorder occurs due to the imbalance of the  Vata dosha . The Ayurvedic treatments for this condition is Pachkarma therapy.

Panchakarma is the elimination of doshas from the body. It is one of the peculiarities of Ayurveda. Since according to Ayurveda, disease is the result of imbalance of doshas, when the increase of dosha is in a large quantity the best way to get cured faster is expelling the doshas out. These procedures (Karmas) are five (Pancha) and hence they are described as Panchakarma i.e. five procedures. These are to be performed not only by the patient for getting them cured but even by healthy persons for maintaining the health. 

Vamana: This is the elimination of doshas by the process of emesis. This is particularly useful for diseases arising from kapha and also from pitta. Diseases like chr. bronchitis, asthma, skin diseases, allergies, herpes, diabetes, sinusitis, osteoarthritis, hyperacidity are best dealt with this procedure. The best season for doing this procedure is   Spring  or even  Autumn .
Virechana: In this procedure, loose motions are produced to eliminate the doshas. This is very useful in diseases caused by pitta dosha e.g. Hyperacidity, herpes, gulma (Type of tumor) jaundice, osteoarthritis, anemia, skin diseases etc. The best season for this procedure is  autumn .
Basti: The procedure is important for the Vata dosha mainly, but can be used for Kapha and pitta and for all sorts of diseases also. In this procedure enema with herbal decoction, oil, honey and salt is given. Since it has a direct action over the large intestine, which is the main site of Vata dosha, it acts instantaneously. The procedure is especially useful for all kinds of diseases caused by Vata Dosha e.g. back ache, arthritis, osteoarthritis, dystrophies, multiple scherosis, muscle waisting etc. The best season for this procedure is the rainy season.

Ayurveda For Osteoarthritis

Back pain is one of the most common debilitating disorder in the world today. The pain affects 90% of people at some point of their lives. Human back comprises of various structures (see figure) which are nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, any or all of which can be a source of pain. Once back pain occurs, it may become chronic (more than 4 weeks) and you shall need to consult a pain physician for relief and accurate diagnosis.
Since prevention is always better than cure,  you can save yourself from having back pain if you follow these basic tips.
Regular Exercise in Correct Form: Regular exercise is important to maintain proper muscular strength of the back. Human back is supported by several big muscle groups (see figure). They serve two functions - one is to facilitate the posture and movements of the back itself and the other is to help movements of the rest of the body appendages (arms, head, pelvis and legs).The health of these muscle group is important to take stress off the spinal bones and maintain proper function. Most of these muscles are red muscle fibers as they need to maintain their activity for prolonged periods of time. Just to give you an idea - your biceps (arm muscles) have to work only when you bend your arm. But your back muscles have to function all the time - whether you sit, walk, stand or even sleep. But the point is what kind of exercises are good for your back? The best exercises for back include body weight low impact aerobics like brisk walking, swimming, stationary bicycling, extension exercises and yoga. What is important to remember while doing these exercises if that you need to be gentle in your movements and achieve correct "form" - this is possible if you can ask someone (preferably a trainer) to observe and point out whether the back stays straight during the exercise. It has been seen that arching and excessive bending is associated with injury to the back while exercising.
Stay Hydrated and Eat Natural Nutritious diet:The inter vertebral discs contain 70 - 80% water. The muscles and tissues have 60% water content. Therefore, it is important to stay hydrated. In addition, you must eat a nutritious diet consisting of green leafy vegetables, good protein source and just enough carbohydrates. Deficiencies of essential nutrients like Vitamin D can result in diseases like osteoporosis. Another important aspect is to maintain body weight within healthy limits. This is very important as increased belly fat is linked to increased back pain due to mechanical factors.
Lift objects correctly and maintain proper posture:While lifting objects, keep them as close to body as possible. Do not slouch or bend excessively while lifting. Just keep your back straight at all times. You may bend your knees a little if required (see figure). Think before you lift and get help if needed.
While working, you must not sit for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. Walk for two minutes, go to a colleague's desk and say hi or even just drink some water or visit the washroom. Humans evolved as hunter - gatherers and our bodies are more adapted to walking / standing than to sitting for prolonged periods. Those of you who travel more and have to sit for long periods of time also need to follow above tips - avoid prolonged sitting in same posture.While exercising, improper position can do more harm than good. Therefore, proper form and posture is a must.
Bonus tip: Avoid cigarette smoking and those who smoke cigarettes to decrease your chances of having degenerative disc diseases leading to chronic back pain early in life.
Word of caution to prevent permanent damage: In case of back pain, which is not responding to home remedies or over the counter painkillers, please contact a Pain Physician to pinpoint the diagnosis and appropriate management.

3 Essential Tips to Prevent Back Pain

Bone Fractures: Causes and Symptoms

'Fracture' is a medical term for a broken bone. According to an estimate, an average person has two fractures within their lifetime. When a force exerted is stronger than the bone itself, it can lead to a fracture. The risk and chance of fracture depend on your age. With age, bones tend to become brittle and, hence, a fall that would have been potentially harmless years ago can lead to a broken bone at a later age.

There are many types of bone fractures, but the main types are:

Closed fracture: A fracture in which the bone breaks but does not tear through the skin

Open fracture: Where the broken bone punctures through the skin and protrudes out. There's a greater chance of bone infection in an open fracture

Displaced fracture: In this type of fracture the bone snaps into more than two parts

Nondisplaced fracture: The bone cracks partly or wholly but it does continue to move

Some of the common signs and symptoms of a fracture are:

- Bruising and swelling of the bones
- Open fractures marked by protruding bones from the skin
- Loss of locomotive and functional ability of the injured area
- Deformity of the injured area
- Pain in the event of movement of the injured area

A fracture can be caused by a number of reasons, and they are:

- Injuries and accidents
- Falls and slips
- Wear and tear through overuse
- Sport injuries
- Fist fights and brawls
- Osteoporosis (a disease which causes bones to weaken in adults)
- Osteomalacia ( a disease caused due to softening of your bones, which is caused by a vitamin D deficiency.) Soft bones are more likely to bow and fracture than are harder, healthy bones.

Note:

Osteomalacia is not the same as osteoporosis. Osteomalacia occurs due to a defect in the bone-building process while osteoporosis develops due to a weakening of existing bones.



Bone Fractures: Causes and Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of fascial ligament (the plantar fascia) at the base of the heel bone. It is a commonly experienced heel pain condition which is caused due to injury or even wear and tear as well as excess weight gain, in some cases. The plantar fascia is the name given to a flat band of connective tissue that holds the foot and the rest of the leg in place with the heel in between. This also supports the foot s arch and helps in connecting the heel bones to the toes. When there is inflammation as well as weakness in this tissue band, then pain may occur and is known as plantar fasciitis.

It may occur in one foot or both feet and may also be caused due to old age, for many individuals. Also, those who are heavily into athletics can also face this kind of wear and tear of the plantar fascia. As with many pain-related conditions, this one can also be treated with regular and moderate exercises that can be practiced to build flexibility and strength. 

Let us find out more about the three exercises that are most suited for treating this condition.

Stretching: Stretching is an exercise that can help in repairing most joint and tissue pain as it helps in pulling the damaged parts back into the right place, especially if any kind of misalignment has occurred. This kind of action can also have a soothing effect when the pain increases. You can stretch your calves in order to help the pain that is caused by plantar fasciitis. You can start by facing the wall and placing your right foot over the left one. Then, place your palms on the wall and remain at a distance of one arm. You will then need to bend you left leg in a forward motion as your right leg and heel press against the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and release. Then, repeat with the other leg.
Chair stretch: Another way of doing stretch exercises is with the help of a chair. You will need to sit on a chair and remain in an upright position for this exercise. Keep a frozen water bottle or cylinder under your foot and roll it back and forth as you maintain a firm grip using your foot and heel.
Big toe stretch: While you are still seated on the chair, you can do a big toe stretch by crossing your leg over the knee and pushing and pulling your big toe. This will help in stretching the tissue that is causing the pain. You will need to pull and hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds for each toe. Practice on both feet.

Plantar Fasciitis - 3 Exercises That Can Help Relieve Pain!

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