Learn how to relax. A tense muscle applies stress to a joint.
Balance rest and activity. Regular, moderate exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day, coupled with a full eight hours of sleep at night, is ideal for good musculoskeletal health.
Remember to avoid any exercise that produces joint pain lasting an hour after you finish exercising.
Practice good posture. Lift heavy items with your hip muscles, not your back.
Protect your joints. In cold weather, wear warm gloves to protect your knuckles, long underwear to protect your knee joints, and heavy socks to protect your ankle and toe
Lose weight if you are overweight. If you reduce your weight by 12 pounds, you cut your risk of developing arthritis by half. - IS THIS TRUE, OR WHAT IF YOU LOOSE 100 POUNDS?
Avoid soft chairs, and sleep on a firm mattress.
Soak in a hot tub, especially after strenuous exercise.
Causes
overweight, the aging process, joint injury or stress, heredity, and muscle weakness.
Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis
* Pain in a joint during or after use, or after a period of inactivity
* Tenderness in the joint when you apply light pressure
* Stiffness in a joint, that may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity
* Loss of flexibility may make it difficult to use the joint
* Grating sensation when you use the joint
* Bone spurs, which appear as hard lumps, may form around the affected joint
* Swelling in some cases
