As the world progresses, the quality of life also develops for the better. There’s now advanced technology to make life more convenient. Humans can also experience a better healthcare system because of modern discoveries. However, you can only experience these things when you can — move. How can you discover new things if you can’t walk, run, or jump? A human being is not a stone because your body has a musculoskeletal system that allows you to have a free range of motion.
The musculoskeletal system is more than just making your body move. But it’s also a system that will help you do anything you want. That’s why it’s essential to know how to maintain your musculoskeletal health with an orthopaedic surgeon in Singapore. Remember that the best way to stay healthy is to be knowledgeable about your body.
To have healthier joints, let this article educate you more about your musculoskeletal system. Plus, you can read some tips to maintain a broad range of motion for your joints.
How Does Musculoskeletal System Work?
Before you begin, it’s better to know more about how your musculoskeletal system works. The nervous system is responsible for your voluntary movement, which means you can control it intentionally. The parts of the musculoskeletal system include bones, cartilage, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
You can use larger muscles to do rigorous activities, while smaller movements like typing or pushing a button use small muscles. Your orthopaedic surgeon might suggest that warming up muscles is essential before using your musculoskeletal system to work. But how does your musculoskeletal work? Well, refer to this section for more knowledge.
Step 1: The first step is that your brain and nerves send signals to your muscles to activate and use for movement.
Step 2: Your muscles will not contract or tense up, preparing for broader movements.
Step 3: After this, it will now signal the tendon or the connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.
Step 4: The tendons will now pull the bone to move
Step 5: After using your musculoskeletal system, your brain or nervous system will send a message to deactivate the muscles.
Step 5: You will now enter the resting stage and eventually relax your muscles and bones.
See, the musculoskeletal works systematically, and one wrong move or genetic reason can lead to conditions like hip dysplasia in Singapore. For this reason, you might need to talk with an orthopaedic surgeon to know the common issues you need to avoid.
What are the Conditions That Affect Your Musculoskeletal System?
If you want to have a healthy musculoskeletal system, you need to know the conditions that may affect it. Various factors can damage your musculoskeletal health, with or without your knowledge. Unfortunately, not all people consider the health of their joints and may affect the way they interact with the world around them.
If this happens, it’s better to visit an orthopaedic surgeon in Singapore to know the causes that affect your Musculoskeletal system and here are some of them:
- Ageing – Indeed, ageing is an inevitable part of human life. As you age, your bone will lose density that may lead to osteoporosis and other conditions. You’ll experience stiffness and a lesser range of motion. However, there are ways to maintain your musculoskeletal system by following an active lifestyle and a healthy diet during your senior years.
- Injuries – If you’re an athlete or a sports enthusiast, you might experience injuries or accidents while playing. As a result, it can affect your tendons, muscles, joints, and other essential parts. Your orthopaedic surgeon may even require you to undergo surgery for labral tear or total hip arthroplasty in Singapore
- Birth Defects – Unfortunately, some babies have congenital disabilities like hip dysplasia. Although it’s not their fault, they can suffer from it as they grow up because their movement will have limitations. For parents, call your orthopaedic surgeon immediately to treat your baby’s hip dysplasia for a better future.
- Arthritis – Arthritis is a disease that can damage your musculoskeletal system. There are two types of arthritis which are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis develops because of overuse throughout time, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. There are also risk factors like medical history, age, gender, injury and weight.
- Bad Habits or Lifestyle – A neglectful lifestyle can also lead to more musculoskeletal system complications. If, for instance, you have a sedentary lifestyle, it may weaken your muscles and bones as you grow older. Unhealthy eating habits can also lead to more diseases that may affect your life productivity. That’s why it’s essential to practice visiting an orthopaedic surgeon for a regular checkup.
- Cancer – Cancer is a health condition that can affect your mental, physical and emotional health. There are types of cancer that can affect the musculoskeletal system, such as bone cancer. Tumours can grow in connective tissue that can limit your movement. The best solution is to avoid cancer by regularly visiting your orthopaedic surgeon to know your health status.
- Overusing the Joints – As a young professional, you may want to grind your way to the top to become successful. For this reason, you may overuse your bodies and neglect giving yourself time to rest. Oversing your joints can wear and tear your musculoskeletal system. So, don’t forget to take a break and use this time to visit an orthopaedic surgeon in Singapore.
Now that you know the common factors that affect your musculoskeletal health. It’s better to learn how to maintain the health of your joints for a broader range of motion. If you know how to take care of your body, you’ll be able to enjoy life to the fullest! Remember that your musculoskeletal helps you to move that supports you to achieve your goals.
How to Keep Your Musculoskeletal System Healthy and Functioning
A simple lifestyle change can make a difference in your overall health. Eating healthier can make you feel stronger and resistant to various diseases like hip dysplasia. Doing daily exercise can also help you maintain a weight that may avoid surgery for a labral tear. A regular orthopaedic surgeon visit can help you prevent diseases. All of these do not require most of your time and effort. All you need is a willingness to improve your quality of life.
To keep your joints healthy, here are some tips to protect your musculoskeletal system as you age:
1) Be Diligent With Your Exercise
Incorporating exercise into your daily life can be a challenge, especially for a busy professional. You’ll work for eight hours a day, and of course, you’ll have no energy to do the exercise when you get home. To solve this, you can look for exercise good for 20 to 30 minutes a day so you can squeeze it into your daily routine. After all, daily exercise can make your bones stronger and avoid muscle decline.
Better yet, ask your orthopaedic surgeon about exercise recommendations to maintain your musculoskeletal health system. As you exercise daily, you can also improve your balance and coordination. Indeed, it would be best if you were diligent in staying consistent. This way, you can avoid a sedentary lifestyle that will weaken your joints.
2) Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is beneficial for your overall health, considering your emotional and physical health. Investing in healthy food can go a long way because it benefits every part of your body. However, if you focus on the musculoskeletal system, eating a healthy diet will give your bones and muscles the proper nutrition. To help you, here are some nutrients for your musculoskeletal system
- Calcium – As you age, you lose calcium through your nails, hair, and your bones. Unfortunately, your body won’t be able to produce enough calcium for your body. That’s why include foods rich in calcium for your diet, including tofu, soybeans, leafy green vegetables, and nuts. Better yet, ask your orthopaedic surgeon to customise your diet plan.
- Vitamin D- Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and protects your bones. Foods rich in Vitamin D are mushroom, egg yolk, tuna, mackerel, milk, cereal. If you add this into your diet, you may even avoid going into surgery like total hip arthroplasty in Singapore.
- Protein – You should also add protein to your body because it offers structural support to your body. You can get protein from meat, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Omega-3 fatty acids – are responsible for anti-inflammatory properties to lessen joint pain when you experience complications, such as hip dysplasia. You can find omega-3 in seafood, but you can take supplements instead if you’re a vegetarian.
Finally, make sure to eat a balanced diet so that you can get the most benefit from your meal plan. Also, don’t forget to ask your orthopaedic surgeon about the right amount of food to get the needed nutrients.
3) Take a Break
Society likes to praise those who grind and work all the time. But, keep in mind that taking a break should also be an essential part of your work routine. For example, overworking your joints, muscle, and bones will only lead to complications that may require intensive treatment and surgery for a labral tear.
Some movements may overwork your joints and lead to injuries. If this happens, make sure to talk with your orthopaedic surgeon about giving your joints a rest after using them for long hours.
To solve this, be mindful of your movement. You can ask yourself: Am I overusing my joints? Should I take a break? Also, when sleeping, be wary of your position so that you can’t damage your points. You can use extra pillows to support your bones and muscles. With this, you can avoid further musculoskeletal system complications.
4) Maintain Your Weight
Your musculoskeletal system carries your body. Hence, it would be problematic if your body is heavy. The more weight you have, the more pressure you put on your joints. Luckily, there is an easy solution to avoid this, which is maintaining your weight. Some people may find it difficult to lose weight; it’s better to consult yourorthopaedic surgeon to recommend some exercise that applies to their condition.
But if you have to exercise every day, it can help you in maintaining your weight. Losing weight can also alleviate your joints and improve your bone and muscle strength. Better yet, you can look for a fitness trainer that can help you learn more about your body. You’ll know the diet, exercise routine, and other factors that will suit your body needs.
5) A Regular Doctor Visit
Of course, a regularorthopaedic surgeon visit will also help you track your musculoskeletal health progress. The doctor will give you tests that will identify your condition. If you also regularly visit the doctor, you’ll know different treatments and surgery like total hip arthroplasty.
You’ll also be aware of the different issues you can face, such as hip dysplasia, arthritis, cancer, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia, bone fractures, and other medical complications.
Visiting a doctor may take your time, but if you do this regularly, you can reap the benefits of it in the future. To be diligent with your doctor visit, you can schedule at least once every six months or year for your regular checkup. Yes, even if you don’t feel anything, it’s better to visit anorthopaedic surgeon for better musculoskeletal knowledge.
6) Say Goodbye to Bad Habits
Finally, you can now choose a healthier lifestyle by saying goodbye to your bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, lack of sleep, partying responsibly, etc. If you’re still young, you may not notice the changes in your body. But, as you grow old, you’ll slowly see the effects of your bad habits on your musculoskeletal health system.
You may find it harder to move, or you may frequently experience joint pain. To avoid this, practice making good habits (like the tips mentioned above) and regularly visit your orthopaedic surgeon in Singapore.
Move freely to do anything you want in life by maintaining your musculoskeletal system with Advanced Orthopaedic and Sports Centre. Visit their website to consult an orthopaedic surgeon.