Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition affecting one in every 11 Australians.
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It most commonly affects knees, hips, low back and neck and small joints in the base of the thumb and big toe.
In osteoarthritis the rubbery material called cartilage that covers each bone and allows for smooth, gliding movements is worn away resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness on movement.
The good news is there are a few changes you can do to improve your symptoms:
GET MOVING
Physical activity help increase lubrication and the delivery of nutrients to our joints.
Exercises that strengthen your quadriceps muscle (the muscle located on the front of your thigh) are particularly helpful in reduce pain from osteoarthritis in your knees by up to 22 per cent.
DROP A FEW KILOS
In people that are overweight or obese, weight-loss of just 5kg resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in symptom and improved movements in the affected joints.
ADJUST YOUR DIET
The Mediterranean diet is primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, lots of healthy olive oil and chicken and fish a few times a week and only minimal red meat.
The Mediterranean diet is not only beneficial for osteoarthritis but also associated with a reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular conditions, parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
NIGHTSHADE VEGETABLES?
There are no recent studies to prove that Nightshade vegetables (Solanaceae) such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and capsicum worsen symptoms of osteoarthritis.
The proposed theory is that nightshade vegetables contain alkaloids, which affect collagen repair and promote inflammation of the joint.
There is no harm in trialling a low solanaceae diet for six weeks and seeing if you notice an improvement.
GLUCOSAMINE SUPPLEMENTS
Glucosamine maybe beneficial managing osteoarthritis is certain types of osteoarthritis.
Studies have shown glucosamine takes a little longer than ibuprofen to work but can decrease pain and inflammation.
Glucosamine supplements can contain between one to 100 per cent glucosamine and can often contain fillers and other additives.
The more pure glucosamine in a supplement the more effective it’s likely to be.
This information should not replace the advice of your health care provider and if you have any health conditions.
Please talk to your doctor before changing your diet or ceasing medication.
- Jessica Ammendolia is an accredited practicing dietitian and nutritionist.