CHENNAI: What was once perceived to be a condition associated with older people is now a growing concern amongst youngsters, because of changing lifestyle and stress associated with work and personal life. Osteoporosis, arthritis, lower back pains and knee pain are commonly seen in middle aged or older people, the reason being, muscles and bones become weak with age.
The growing concern is that women as young as 20 are suffering from joint pain and lower back pain. This can be attributed to genetic changes, unhealthy lifestyle, obesity, diet and irregular sleep patterns and in Vitamin D deficiency.
Women are more affected by hormone-related concerns. The symptoms are generally subtle and it becomes difficult to spot the problem early. What might feel as a morning pain or discomfort that occurs because of use of muscle can eventually lead to a chronic condition. Swelling, soreness, stiffness or numbness in a joint which makes it difficult to do simple tasks like combing, carrying books etc is an indication that the muscles require immediate medical attention.
Therefore, it is recommended to get them checked if the condition persists for more than a month. Estrogen, a hormone, plays a very vital role in the bone health of women as it protects the joints and bones from inflammations, wear and tear.
This is the reason why women in their menopausal stage or post-menopausal stage have knee pain, lower back pain, joint pain and so on. But now, even younger women face hormonal changes where the levels of estrogen reduce leading to joint related complications. Dehydration caused by hormonal decrease can also cause knee and joint swellings.
On the flip side, many studies have found out that psychosocial elements play a major role in back pains. Mental stress, work schedules, working on systems for longer hours tend to compress muscles leading to premature ageing of spine leading to increasing cases of neck and back pain. Four out of five persons complain of back pains and it’s been observed that they are mostly in corporate jobs that demand eight hours of work.
In these cases, ergonomics at workplace should be rectified such as availability of comfortable seats that support the back, placement of work equipment at proper eye level thus preventing the employee from straining their back.
It is always better to get up from your seat and stretch your legs and arms or maybe take short walks around your office every two hours. This way, the muscles get relaxed and refreshed at periodic intervals.
Young women who are fascinated by fitness trends like ‘size zero’ do heavy workouts and face muscle spasms. These workouts can also cause wear and tear; muscle inflammation leads to an abrupt pause in exercise. Thus performing warm up exercises, stretches and breathing exercise before workouts can help prevent muscle spasms and injuries.
Sleeping posture is another factor that defines your muscle and bone health. Women should make sure that they sleep on an even surface which keeps their head, back and legs at the same level. Since youngsters are more flexible, they tend to sleep in different positions which they find comfortable; however, sleeping over uneven surfaces can cause muscle and lower back pains.
Young adults opt for varied treatment practices which are generally non-invasive that include massage, body spa and yoga. In cases of severe arthritis or back pains, a surgery maybe recommended, which is very rare in youngsters until and unless they had a major accident. A regular diet pattern, exercise, adequate sleep and maintaining ideal weight can help in preventing these conditions at a very young age.
(The writer is an arthroscopic surgeon. He heads the faculty at Ortho One – Orthopaedic Speciality Centre, Coimbatore)