4 tips to keep the musculoskeletal system healthy

With the increase in life expectancy, quality of life measures have become a central topic of discussion. Generally speaking, quality of life is meant to be the observed quality of an individual's daily life that includes the assessment of their overall well-being. The measurement includes aspects of the individual's emotional, social and physical life. Emotional or social aspects can vary from person to person by a matter of their individual behavioral traits, however, the physical aspects of well-being are more standardized and ubiquitous.

If your body allows you to run, walk, jump, play sports and do the other things you like to do, it would mean that your quality of life score is high. The major problem that holds many back from scoring high on physical measures are arthropathies, meaning that there is a problem with the joints. The human musculoskeletal system is a very complex structure made up of bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissues. These all come together to give the body its form, support and stability and facilitate movement. And guess what, the musculoskeletal system used to be known as the activity system, so you should stay active in order to have a higher quality life.

When you want to move your arm, you first send out a signal to your muscles asking them to move, so our muscles should be in good condition. Bones should also be healthy so that they can move the activated muscles. However, all these systems activate only if the joints work flawlessly. Joints are where two or more bones join together with tendons, ligaments, muscles or a mix of the three. There are different types of joints, such as the rigid ones in the skull and movable ones like in the shoulders, hips and knees. Joints also have a special covering called cartilage where bones rub against each other. Cartilage is almost more important than the bone itself when it comes to being active because the healthier the cartilage is, the more it will allow bones to glide over each other. Aside from helping bones move freely, it protects bones from rubbing against each other and causing severe pain since they cover the ends of bones at a joint. Arthropathy is the name given to joint disorders. When joint inflammation occurs, then the disease is called arthritis – one of the leading causes of disability in people older than 50. The most common kind of arthritis is degenerative bone disease called osteoarthritis. This disease can occur after joint trauma, a joint infection or simply aging. Think of your childhood when you probably used safety gear on your joints while bicycling, skating or rollerblading to protect you from a disease you may not have even known about. When it comes to driving, your car manufacturer takes the same protection measures. But when it comes to you, is there anything you can do to maintain healthier joints? Of course, and below are some simple tactics for healthier joints.

1. Stay active

Physical activity is perhaps the best thing one can do to maintain healthier joints. In contrast to popular beliefs and myths, research has found that people who exercise more have healthier joints as they age, which is also true for people who have osteoarthritis. Although physical activity can be slightly painful, these activities will strengthen the muscles that hold the joints together and help stabilize them so that they move the way in which they were intended.

2. Don't overextend your joints

Although being active is good for the joints, certain movements can lead to injuries. Generally, instant reflexes, including rapid direction changes or twisting, can cause joint damage. Be aware of your movements to keep joint trauma out of your life.

3. Eat smart

You should support your joint health with healthy foods as well. This will help protect bone structure, muscles and cartilage. At the top of the list are dark leafy greens, winter squash, olive oil, citrus and turkey. There are important nutrients in dark leafy greens that aid joint health including vitamins C, K and A, iron, calcium and magnesium. Turkey is a good source of lean protein that plays a critical role in muscle and cartilage repair. Although citrus is known for containing vitamin C, it also contains many phytonutrients in addition to folic acid, potassium, calcium, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus, magnesium and copper. These antioxidants fight against oxidation in the body, including joints, which is the primary cause of inflammation and aging.

4. Be fit

The musculoskeletal system carries the body, meaning that it maintains the structure against gravity. If you want your joints to stay healthy and seek the simplest solution, the best answer is to lose weight. Do not forget that the more weight you put on to your joints, the more pressure and stress there is on your joints. This translates to more pain if you are already experiencing issues. Losing weight is also the quickest way to alleviate joint pain and boost your joint health.