As people get older, they start feeling pains in different parts of their body. Often, most of that pain is localized around the mid section – the lower back and hips. Degeneration of bones and joints usually occurs when people hit their 30s and it accelerates as they continue to age, especially if health is not managed properly.
Pain around the hip bones particularly worsens as women age, but the same goes for a lot of men, especially those who actually loved to jog or run. For runners, what typically happens is the impact of running wears away the joints or shock absorbers between the bones, creating friction.
To prevent pain and protect hip bones from degenerating quickly, health professionals have rounded up the best practices to employ in a list below.
- Manage weight – This is basically because the heavier you are, the greater the pressure on your joints, which can lead to their thinning. As mentioned earlier, joints are shock absorbers so if they get damaged, most movements can be painful around the hips. Some studies have even revealed that 27 percent of hip replacements in the US are due to obesity.
- Wear comfortable clothing – Comfort-fit trousers and dresses provide support but do not place pressure on the hips like most of today’s really snug, like-second-skin types of clothing. Better stick to this style to prevent hip pain.
- Switch to low impact exercises – Running and any sport that involves running on hard pavement can really stress out both the knees and hips. An elliptical machine is considered a smarter cardio workout for those who want to avoid hip pain or early onset osteoarthritis. Or better yet, perform cardio exercises like aerobics in the water. Water will prevent gravity from stressing out your joints.
- Learn proper lifting techniques – Always warm up before any lifting task and then follow the tips below:
- Know the weight of the object – It’s best not to carry anything that’s more than half your body weight
- Use ergonomic lift assists
- Keep the object in the power zone (the power zone is right where your core is)
- Use a wide stance for balance
- Use your legs to lift your back
- Pivot your feet to avoid twisting your trunk
- If you really need to carry very heavy objects, wear back support
- Develop your muscles – The more muscles you have, the less pressure there will be on your joints. If joints are the shock absorbers for the bones, then the muscles serve as shock absorbers for the joints.
