It’s Bone and Joint Action Week!
Guest Post By Claire Gill, Chief Mission Officer of the National Osteoporosis FoundationEvery year, Bone and Joint Action Week is held from October 12-20, and focuses on increasing awareness about disorders like arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis, and more. This week’s goal is to educate the public on ways to get involved in their communities, as well as how to prevent, manage, and treat these bone and joint disorders. Throughout Action Week, there are days specifically dedicated to different bone and joint disorders and raising awareness about each one. Specifically, October 20th is World Osteoporosis Day—an important event for seniors to commemorate.Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. This makes bones weak and more likely to break during falls or other minor incidents. This disease affects seniors in very high numbers—in fact, some studies show that about 1 in 2 women and up to 1 in 4 men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis.The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), is the leading health organization dedicated to preventing osteoporosis and broken bones, promoting strong bones for life and raising awareness of this vital issue. Our website not only shares important information for those diagnosed with osteoporosis but offers some terrific tips regarding general bone and joint health for all.One of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from osteoporosis is to first determine if you are at risk. Risk factors that you can control include: not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, not eating a diet rich in nutrients from fruits and vegetables, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough regular exercise. The NOF has information about healthy food choices that can help prevent osteoporosis, as well as a helpful list of foods to avoid in order to best protect your bones.Additionally, the NOF provides valuable tips on how to exercise to keep your bones strong, including posture exercises, hip and spine strengthening exercises, and balance exercises. Making sure to keep an active lifestyle is an important topic we often discuss, and these great resources even include bonus graphics so you can make sure you are doing each exercise effectively!I know it can be easy to forget just how important our bone health is, so make sure you take time during Bone and Joint Action Week to learn about these disorders, and how to keep your bones healthy and strong as we enter the holiday season!