Protect Your Joints through the Holidays

The holiday season is fast approaching and while it will look different this year depending on where you are and how serious the pandemic is, there are steps you can take to make sure that your holiday habits don’t impact your joint health.

Holiday Eating

We all indulge a bit over the holidays, and that’s not a problem, as long as you strive for balance. If you just have to have the gravy, be sure to add in an extra walk that week. If you choose to splurge on Grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie (and you should), try to have a smaller slice or increase your strength training. And instead of a nap after your turkey dinner, enlist your family in a game of basketball or touch football and get moving. The biggest risk to your joint health is sodium intake, because that causes you to retain water, puts extra pressure on your joints, and can increase the amount of pain you are experiencing.

Keep Moving

Our routines tend to get disrupted over the holidays, but if there is any way to maintain your exercise routine – even if you’re doing different activities – it can be good for your joints. Alternatively, if you’re supposed to be staying off your feet as part of your therapy, don’t let holidays be the excuse you use to not take care of yourself. All it may take is one more wrong twist and knee replacement surgery will be how you greet the New Year.

Keep Arthritis Pain at Bay

Being mindful about what you eat, striving for balance, and getting some exercise can all be good for managing your arthritis pain, too. In addition, be sure to stay hydrated and don’t go overboard on the alcohol. You can enjoy the holidays and have a little fun without overdoing it to such an extent that you suffer more.

If your arthritis or joint pain is no longer responding to traditional therapies, you should make an appointment to see Dr. Moore. For More information about, contact our Pinehurst, NC office, call us at (910) 295-0224, or check out our orthopaedic surgery blog.