Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 35)

SHOULDER What it is: Three bones come together at the shoulder— the clavicle (collarbone), scapula (shoulder blade) and humerus (upper arm). Muscles, ligaments and tendons add to this joint’s complexity. What it does: The shoulder is one of our most mobile joints, allowing arms wide movement. Think of all the times you move your arms, raise them above your head, steer a car, reach for something—your shoulder plays a part. Common injuries: Excessive, repetitive motions in sports, such as swimming or tennis, and even everyday activities, such as gardening, can cause shoulder trouble. Among common injuries, Barber says, are rotator cuff tears, inﬂamed bicep tendons, cartilage tears and arthritis. Precautions: Don’t let the fear of injury keep you from staying active. Just be prepared. “Don’t do something before you’re in shape for it,” Barber says. An active lifestyle is key to keeping joints healthy, but talk to your physician before starting a new exercise to make sure you have no preexisting conditions that could cause injury later. Treatment: An orthopedic surgeon or a physical therapist can recommend joint exercises (wall push-ups are one) to strengthen your shoulder and lessen pain. In some cases, anti-inﬂammatory medication may be prescribed. osteoarthritis, where cartilage between the bones wears down over time. Precautions: “We’d all do ourselves a favor by staying in shape,” Barber says. “Speciﬁcally, a workout that focuses on our back.” Incorporate leg lifts and wall squats, where you press your back against a wall, get into a squatted position and hold for 30 to 60 seconds at a time. Treatment: “Back pain responds well to physical therapy,” Barber says. Your physician also might recommend anti-inﬂammatory medication or steroid injections. Surgery is an option for more severe cases. Extend Your Warranty How often do you check in with your joints to make sure they are doing what they should be doing—and without pain? More than 27 million U.S. adults live with osteoarthritis, characterized by achy, stiff joints due to the wearing down of cartilage over time. There is no cure, but there are ways to improve your joint function and relieve some of that pain, slowing the disease’s progression. Start with just two simple steps from James Barber, M.D., a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: 1. Don’t wait—lose weight. “The No. 1 thing to keeping joints healthy is weight management,” Dr. Barber says. Your joints support your weight, and being obese puts strain on them, upping your chances for injury. Talk to your doctor about a weight-loss program. 2. Be strong. Strengthening your joints through exercise that includes weight-bearing activities (think squats and lunges) reduces your risk of falling, which is one of the main culprits of joint injuries. “All the joints work better when we have strong muscles around them,” Dr. Barber says. BACK What it is: While there is no “back joint” speciﬁcally, the back is made up of the vertebral column, which houses 17 vertebrae consisting of more than 30 bones. Barber describes vertebrae as “shingles on a roof.” What it does: The back supports the weight of the head and the trunk of the body, and allows you to move and ﬂex. Common injuries: Muscle strain is the most common cause of pain, although the back is also susceptible to degenerative disk disease, many types of fractures, and VIDEO Is It Time for a Knee Replacement? Find out by watching a video online at parrishmed.com/news. Or find other health information explained in everyday language at Parrish Medical Center’s HealthBridge. Vim & Vigor · FAL L 2012 35 http://www.parrishmed.com/news

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Cardiopulmonary Connection
PMC Nurses Honored During National Nurses Week
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
STILL A SCREENING STAR
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
Inherent Beauty
Ask and You Shall Receive
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Parrish Medical Center