The body is made up of 200 bones and over 200 joints! This week, Abarca welcomes you to stop for a brief second and consider everything our body does for us.
You are constantly in motion. You walk, run, dance, jump, climb, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life with the help of your bones and joints. During the week of October 12th-20th, Bone and Joint Action Week is an opportunity for communities to host activities, and spread awareness, prevention, and management tips for musculoskeletal health.
Did you know that over half of the American population older than 18 years old develops musculoskeletal issues, of which 1 in 3 people will require care? These conditions have only increased during the past few decades.
About Bone & Joint Action Week
Musculoskeletal issues may include arthritis, back pain, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Bursitis, and a vast majority of conditions that affect hundreds of thousands of people and their bones and joints. Therefore, bone and joint issues are known to be some of the most common causes of long or short-term disability. These conditions have become a cause of concern because they are known to inflict deep mental, health, and financial impact on people.
Each day of the week focuses on a specific bone or joint-related concern. To find out more information, Abarca has compiled a daily list:
- October 12 – World Arthritis Day
- October 16 – World Spine Day
- October 17 – World Trauma Day
- October 19 – World Pediatric Bone and Joint (PB&J) Day
- October 20 – World Osteoporosis Day
Prevention tips
Bones protect our bodies and organs, give structure, and store nutrients. In addition, they help us move with cartilage that cushions and connects everything without rubbing the bones together. Prevention and knowing the symptoms are the key to a healthier life.
- Exercise! This increase circulation to your joints, speed up recovery, and help maintain a healthy weight to benefit your overall health.
- Strength training can help with pain, support, increase bone density, and prevent osteoporosis.
- Eat a balanced diet with the proper nutrients and vitamins, such as calcium and vitamin D, to keep your bones healthy.
- Talk to your doctor if you have any pain that might not be going away.
Make a difference
This week is all about awareness; however, if you or a loved one has experienced any changes in their musculoskeletal health that are accompanied by pain, you might be overdue for a doctor’s visit. Meanwhile, here are some ways and resources to improve your health and knowledge and support those around you!
- Show your support and raise awareness using social media hashtags: #BoneJointWeek and #MSKEquality.
- The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance has a great resource page for all ages, genders, and conditions.
- Learn how to live with arthritis
- Bone, joint, and osteoporosis health overviews
- Keeping your kids healthy
As part of our mission for better care, Abarca goes all in to raise awareness with our Bone and Joint Health Action Week. We take this opportunity to highlight the importance of activity for musculoskeletal health to enable people to be independent and enjoy life without the pain of a musculoskeletal disorder.
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*This blog post was written by Michelle Morales, Manager of Clinical Services at Abarca Health.