Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Healthy Bones: It’s National Bone & Joint Awareness Week!

Did you know the human body has more than 200 bones and joints? Believe it or not, these two components work together to allow you to walk, run, dance, climb, swim and so much more! Your bones and joints grant you the ability to experience life and push your body to its fullest potential. However, often people don’t stop and consider how important the health of their bones and joints are until it is too late.

Bone and joint disorders are among the most common problems faced by millions of people around the world. From arthritis to back pain, to everything in between- if you find yourself complaining about any of these issues just know, you aren’t alone. Thankfully, keeping your bones and joints free from pain and healthy is simple!

Are you not sure where to start? You’re in luck because during the week of October 12th-20th, it is all about bone and joint health! Bone and Joint Action Week focuses on raising awareness about the prevention, management, and treatment of common disorders, including arthritis, back pain, trauma, pediatric conditions, and osteoporosis. During the week, there are five special days dedicated to highlighting a specific part of the body or musculoskeletal disorder:

October 12: World Arthritis

October 16: World Spine Day

October 17: World Trauma Day

October 19: World Pediatric Bone and Joint (PB&J) Day

October 20: World Osteoporosis Day

Take time during the week of October 12th-20th to slow down and learn about how to keep your bones and joints strong, healthy, and pain-free!

Before diving headfirst into the ways to keep your bones and joints healthy and strong, you must understand what exactly the bones and joints are. Here is a quick anatomy review on the functions of your bones and joints:

Bones are what support and form the human body. They protect the brain, heart, and other important organs from potential injury. Bones are made up of hard tissue and nutrients like calcium to keep our bodies sturdy and strong.
Joints are simply places where two bones in the body meet, such as your elbow or knee. On your joints, there is cartilage, which helps absorb shock on the ends of the bones to prevent them from rubbing against each other and causing damage.

These two components work together constantly to allow you to move, but also absorb most of the shock, trauma, and physical hits you can experience throughout activities of daily living. Over time if not taken care of properly, this can cause painful, long-lasting problems like arthritis, back pain, and osteoporosis.

4 Ways to Keep Your Bones and Joints Healthy

With all of this being said you now may be wondering, how can I keep my bones and joints healthy? Here are four quick tips to begin incorporating into your daily routine to keep your bones and joints strong and healthy:

1. Increase calcium & Vitamin D. Eating a balanced diet is important for overall health. However, it is important to be mindful of your calcium and vitamin D intake. These two nutrients are important for the maintenance and sustainability of strong bones and joints. If not consumed in adequate amounts, this could be detrimental and lead to weakened, fractured, and even broken bones. Some sources of calcium and vitamin D include dairy products, vegetables, eggs, and salmon.

2. Exercise. Engaging in exercise can help you build and maintain strong and healthy bones and joints. Exercising increases the circulation of your joints and potentially could help with bone formation. The CDC recommends 60 minutes of exercise daily. So, get those bones moving!

3. Ice, Ice, Ice. Sore bones and joints are inevitable. If you experience any kind of soreness, use an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables on the sore spot for no more than 20 minutes at any given time. This will help relieve any joint swelling and numb pain.

4. Tell your healthcare provider. It is always important to inform your healthcare provider of any bone or joint pain you may be experiencing. He or she may have better treatment options that could help you or could identify a more serious problem. No matter if you find your bone and joint pain to be improving or worsening, please consult your provider.

3 Fun Ways to Celebrate National Bone and Joint Action Week

After you’ve incorporated some of these quick tips for building and maintaining strong and healthy bones and joints, how will you observe during National Bone and Joint Action Week? Here are some ways to observe:

Pick your day.As mentioned previously, Bone and Joint Action Week have five special days dedicated to a specific part of the body of musculoskeletal disorder. Pick the day that resonates with you most and do your part by; bring awareness, educating others, and sharing tips for prevention on bone and joint health.

Get a bone density test. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are the second leading cause of accidental injury death around the world. With this in mind, it is important to have regular bone density tests. During this week, schedule a bone density test to ensure your bones and joints are up to par!

Take a yoga class. Yoga is one of the best exercises to strengthen your joints and bones. During this week, find an in-person or virtual yoga class to attend. Even if this is your first time, it doesn’t matter! Getting your body moving in any way it can is the most important.

However you decide to celebrate during National Bone and Joint Action Week, the focus of the week remains the same– raise awareness, educate and prevent bone and joint problems. Take some during the week of October 12th-20th to recognize what our bones and joints can do by showing them some much-needed attention and appreciation. Now, sit back, relax and stretch them bones (and joints!)

Your Turn To Take Action: How do you keep your bones and joints healthy and strong? Let me know in the comments below.