Dr. MANOJ KUMAR KHEMANI
(Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon)

Elderly Parents With Orthopedic Problems: How To Take Care of Them?

As one ages, orthopedic challenges often start surfacing. Arthritis, osteoporosis, and fractures are some of the common problems that old people face. This might also include your parents. As they are aging, they might start experiencing bone and joint-related issues. And, if overlooked and left untreated, these issues can span to become severe, even hindering their mobility.

So, it’s essential that as your parents are getting older, you should heed more and more to their orthopedic health in order to ensure them a good quality life.

Now, this doesn’t mean you get extremely vigilant to their movements; neither does it mean you spend a lot of your time and money on this.

Basic measures on your end can really make a big difference in their good orthopedic health. Here are 3 tips:

1. Encourage Them To Walk More

There’s no better care for your bones and joints than being physically active.

Sadly, as people age, they start getting more quiescent, getting involved in fewer and fewer physical activities. If your parents are one of these people, advise them against it.

Encourage your parents to move more. While they might not necessarily be psyched about going to the gym or even trying traditional freehand workouts at home, the best thing they can do is walk… Walk more.

After meals, ask them to walk more. Ask them to get up in the morning and head to the local park to walk. If they are going somewhere nearby, ask them to walk over taking a rickshaw.

Walking helps build and strengthen bones.

2. Adjust Their Daily Diet

What you eat plays a critical role in your orthopedic health.

While your bones can do with insufficient diet at the 20s, 30s, and even 40s, that’s not necessarily the case when you’re getting older and your bones start losing mass. Their requirement progressively changes with age, demanding more of key nutrients.

So, give your parents’ diet a hard look. Does it look good? Does it need changes? Are they getting more of key nutrients?

Foremost, ensure their meals are rich in calcium and vitamin D. Also, see to it that they are getting more protein, vitamin B12, magnesium, and vitamin C – all of which are important for the nourishment of bones.

Generally, you want them to avoid highly processed foods and choose more of whole foods.

Some of the items that help build bones stronger are milk, nuts, tofu, sardines, leafy greens, beans, and salmon. Add these items to their daily meals.

3. Take Them To An Orthopedic Doctor Regularly

This is important!

Even if everything “looks fine”, it’s important to take your parents to a good bone and joint specialist Kolkata for regular checkups.

The doctor would do a physical examination. If there are any problems, they would recommend tests and prescribe medicines. If the condition is serious, as a last measure, they might even suggest surgical treatment.

Usually, early diagnosis will pave way for better and effective treatment, helping your parents keep bones and joints in good health.

So, do some research around top 10 orthopedic doctor in India. Find one near you and visit their clinic.

After the first visit, do keep up with the follow-ups. Ensure your parents are following the advice of the doctor consistently.

Conclusion

These are three simple things you should do to ensure your parents’ good orthopedic health.

The secret to having healthy bones and joints isn’t some miraculous activity or treatment. It’s all about taking small steps every day from early on in life.

Your parents may have been uncaring to their orthopedic health till now; put an end to their reluctance. Define a clear regimen for them to follow to ensure they have the least of bone and joint-related problems if any.

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