The UK is facing a “tsunami” of joint pain with an aging population and the numbers of arthritis cases expected to soar, a leading expert has warned.
Arthritis cases are expected to double by 2030, Arthritis Care (a charity) has predicted. One person in eight complains that at times their arthritis is unbearable.
Philip Conaghan, professor of musculoskeletal medicine in Leeds said “Britain is facing a tsunami of pain due to osteoarthritis as the number of people over 50 increases dramatically and obesity levels continue to rise. Action is needed immediately – we have to bust this myth that painful joints are an inevitable part of getting older that we have to put up with.”
Not only is unpleasant for arthritis suffers, but also the extra cost to the NHS is likely to run into billions of pounds a year, putting greater stress on the health service. In addition many of the people questioned said that they had had to give up their jobs because of the condition putting even greater stress on the sufferers. Again, this has adverse affect for the economy.
Professor Conaghan complained that many people become less active when diagnosed with arthritis with evidence suggesting that this is the worst thing that you could do, just keeping moving can actually strengthen joints.
Tai Chi Eases Joint Pain
As one of our valued readers you will know what I am going to say- Tai Chi is good for joint pain, fact. There has been so much research on the effectiveness of Tai Chi and joint pain that you would think that everyone would know by now. Research has found that Tai Chi is good for painful knees, backs and joints in general. Just holding the Tai Chi posture can give the necessary support and exercise that can ease, and in some cases, even cure some back conditions. One of the most common of arthritis conditions, painful knees, responded very well to regular Tai Chi practise. The excellent posture that Tai Chi gives you, added to the slow, low impact controlled movements helps strengthen joints and build supporting muscles.
Nutrients that Help Ta Chi
In addition to the excellent Tai Chi exercise, certain nutrients have been found to have profund effect in diminishing joint pain. Many drugs used in arthritis are what are known as Cox 2 inhibitors, which prevent an enzyme causing the pain and inflammation. There are also nutrients that also are Cox 2 inhibitors. These include;
Turmeric - the yellow herb that gives curries their distinct colour, is a potent anti-inflammatory. Don’t worry if you do not like curries, this beautiful yellow herb is neither spicy nor hot tasting. You can obviously add to your cooking or take as a capsule that you can buy from most heath food shops.
Zyflamend – a herbal nutrient that you can purchase on line. A great deal of research was done on this 10 herb combination, containing all potent Cox 2 inhibitors. The scientific reviews were very good.
Hope you have found this short post of interest if you suffer from any form of joint pain. Remember to ask your health care professional before engaging in any form of exercise.
Have a good week
Kind Regards
John Hine
