08/05/2015
Tips for Good Hip Health
Contributed by Cornerstone Chiropractic
Having a healthy pair of hips is a key to healthy aging. But healthy hips are not only important for people in their 60s, 70s, and beyond. Your hips are one of your most important structural components, regardless of how old you are. Whether you’re
20, 30, or 40, your hip joints provide biomechanical support to your entire body. Thus,
keeping your hips healthy is a necessary consideration for everyone who wants to be
healthy and well throughout a long life.
Healthy hips do not happen automatically. Your body’s
physiology follows the biomechanical principle of “use
it or lost it”. Muscles, bones, and joints that do work
on a regular basis are strengthened and enhanced.
Those musculoskeletal elements that don’t do much
physical work are broken down, so that molecular
building blocks such as amino acids and nutrients such
as calcium can be put to better use elsewhere. In other
words, if you’re haven’t done much exercise in a while,
weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees,
and ankles will begin to degrade. However,
even as these joints lose optimal structural
integrity, gravitational forces persist. The longterm
result of such weakened joints is strains
and sprains, degenerative arthritis, and possibly
other inflammatory conditions. These disorders
likely involve daily ongoing pain, which
may become moderate or severe.
In the absence of conservative treatment and
rehabilitative exercise, such conditions may
ultimately require joint replacement. These
procedures are becoming increasingly common,
with total hip replacements and total
knee replacements being performed on younger
and younger patients. For example, annual
rates for total hip replacement in the United
States in patients aged 45 and older have
almost doubled between 2000 and 2010.1
Importantly, many hip joint problems can be prevented
by instituting appropriate lifestyle changes. As the cause
of many of these degenerative conditions is long-term
lack of use, the solution lies in activity and physical
work. In Western nations, physical labor is becoming
increasingly uncommon. Most of us work in service-type
industries and spend most of our days sitting at a desk.
As a result, physical work is now typically obtained by
engaging in regular, vigorous exercise. By performing
five 30-minute sessions of vigorous weight-bearing exercise
every week, we will restore and maintain sufficient
healthy stress on our muscles, bones, and joints.
As these musculoskeletal structures undergo physical
loads and perform mechanical work, your body responds
by making them stronger.2-4 New blood vessels are built
to supply these structures with increasing amounts of
oxygen and other nutrients. New cells are built to support
existing tissues. Worn-out cells are removed more
efficiently. The entire musculoskeletal system is revitalized
in response to regular, vigorous exercise. The longterm
result is healthy hips, knees, and ankles, as well as
a healthy spine. These weight-bearing structures work
synergistically to help provide you with long-term health.
Cornerstone Chiropractic is located at 5886 Wendy
Bagwell Parkway, Suite 301, Hiram, Georgia 30141.
770-439-7765