Most of us have indulged in sports at some point in our lives, be it our youth or in our middle or later in life, in that sense all of us are wanna be athletes irrespective of what kind of physical activity we choose. Playing sports can have little or no negative aspects and be all completely beneficial. Sports can also, unfortunately, bring about injuries and later in life arthritis as a result. Although we can’t blame participating in sports directly as the cause of arthritis, sporting injuries are a common factor that contributes to the problem.
Sports, in general, are good for our overall health and for developing and maintaining a healthy cartilage. Sporting injuries, however, can lead to the opposite (along with a number of issues that catalyze the development of arthritis).
Arthritis is not an unheard term, affecting over 40 million people in the United States region alone. In plain terms, arthritis is the pain and stiffness felt in a joint, owing to inflammation. Earlier it was a common misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly. It is true that the risk of developing the same increases as we grow older. However, it can affect anyone, irrespective of his or her age. Engaging in intense sporting activity too are more prone to be affected by arthritis owing to past injuries if proper arthritis treatment is not undertaken.
Apart from this, an infection caused during sporting injury and genetics can also further heighten the probability of arthritis. A number of ageing athletes suffer from joint problems and other types of chronic arthritis pain associated with joints.
Arthritis has a number of conditions and types, ranging in hundreds. Amongst those, “osteoarthritis” is the most common. It is usually called “wear and tear” arthritis and mostly affects those who have had any sports-related injury previously. Arthritis Research UK found that athletes who have at some point in their lives experienced; ligament tears and/or fractures are more susceptible to this form of arthritis as these injuries affect the way in which joints move. Once the movement is irregular, there is some stress and cartilage begins to erode along with the surfaces in joints. This is often followed by swelling, inflammation, and pain.
As a sporting person, the best way to avoid injuries leading to arthritis is to avoid those injuries completely. One must ensure that they are using all the sports equipment with the right technique and do proper warm-ups and stretching before they start with their routine.
For those who have already been injured, it is important that they take care to prevent it from turning into arthritis. Never overexert yourself because that may lead to you pushing your injured joint as well before it has even healed properly. Also, don’t be in a rush to get back to the field, take some time off to allow your body to heal itself.
In case you already are suffering from arthritis, the pain can be managed with low-intensity exercises. Yoga and water aerobics are excellent for this purpose. Anti-inflammatory pain relievers can also help treat symptoms (not to be substituted for a cure). Physiotherapy too is immensely beneficial for those suffering from arthritis. If done regularly, it can help delay the advancement of the disease in your joints and assist in keeping joints flexible and more pain-free.
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