Hips Archive

Around menopause, a decline in estrogen can trigger low-grade inflammation that leads to unexpected symptoms from head to toe. Symptoms can affect the digestive tract, skin, joints, eyes, ears, and heart, among other areas. A 2022 study found that estrogen loss can even fuel the jaw pain known as temporomandibular disorder. A year or longer can pass before many women connect symptoms with menopause. Women can take lifestyle measures to lower inflammation, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, avoiding processed foods, and exercising.

People with knee osteoarthritis may prevent future knee pain and reduce joint damage by walking for exercise.

Morning back and neck pain are often triggered by sleep position or poor choice of mattress or pillow. Certain sleep poses, especially stomach-down, can lead to pain by creating misalignment of the spine and other areas of the body. To prevent back and neck pain, people can switch sleep positions frequently, align all body areas when shifting positions, use firmer pillows, consider buying a new mattress, and place a foam wedge under the pelvis or between the legs while sleeping.

There's no one sound unique to a particular shoulder problem. That makes it hard to know what various shoulder noises are telling you. Possibilities include arthritis; bone breaks; rotator cuff tears; gas bubbles, loose parts, or bone spurs in the shoulder joint; neck problems; and bursitis. It's advisable to investigate shoulder noises if they happen, along with shoulder pain, weakness, or limited movement, or if the sound followed a shoulder injury. It's also smart (though not urgent) to ask a doctor about shoulder sounds that aren't accompanied by other symptoms.

Joints do not wear out from overuse. Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the smooth cartilage that lines the joint deteriorates. This might occur because of an injury, age, family history, obesity, or a disease that causes joint inflammation.

A recent study suggested a vegan diet is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and its lead author also said that people should try changing their eating patterns before turning to medication. But there is no evidence that changes in diet can prevent joint damage that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis.

Healthy feet are the foundation of an active lifestyle, but many people don't give their feet proper attention. Regular foot maintenance can help prevent pain and injuries and protect against infections. Helpful steps include maintaining basic foot hygiene, performing regular foot exercises, and wearing properly fitting shoes.

Strength training triggers many body reactions that protect people against chronic disease. For example, strengthening muscles helps reduce blood sugar, lower blood pressure, burn calories, and discourage chronic inflammation. Evidence suggests that getting 30 to 60 minutes of weekly strength training leads to the highest amount of health benefits. That's in line with the recommendation from the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. But doctors say any amount of strength training can help health.

People with knee osteoarthritis often gain temporary pain relief from joint injections. However, there is uncertainty about long-term risks of steroid injections. A 2022 study suggests that the risk may be minimal if these injections are done infrequently.

Knuckle cracking doesn't "crack" a joint. The sound comes from gas bubbles bursting in the fluid inside the joint. While knuckle cracking is mostly harmless, other types of noises or the presence of pain can indicate a more serious joint problem.