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You went out the front yard to fix the fence. Well, it is an easy task; you just get the new wood planks to replace the decayed ones. With a half a dozen nails, a hammer, a paint and brush, you figured the job will be over in a few minutes. There is just one problem, the last time you did the fixing of your fence was a good thirty years ago; and this time, you are going to need more than just your tools to manage your fence.

The pains in your joints due to years of lifting, flexing, and the overall wear and tear of connective tissues have made things more difficult for you. Now that you belong to the senior citizen age bracket, you have to factor bone or joint problems like arthritis and osteoporosis in everything that you do. Here are a few tips on how to take care and avoid complications on your aging joints and bone structures.

Manage Your Weight

Seniors who want to live a happy and active life should be conscious about their weight because excess pounds will put pressure and additional strain on the knees, feet, hips and other weight-bearing joints. In time, your synovial fluid will run out and your joints will be rubbing against each other and cause inflammation and excruciating pain. How will you be able to attend ballroom dancing parties or live independently if you cannot even carry yourself or walk a few yards because of pain and inflammation of your joints?

Don't Go Overboard

Many elderly people try so hard to be independent that sometimes they over exert themselves just so they will not be bothering anyone. However, performing strenuous tasks or overexerting the muscles might lead to accidents. Once you experience slight pain or some form of an affliction, you should stop what you are doing and take a rest. Persisting to continue your activities even when you are feeling some aches might lead to more serious conditions, such as fractures and disability.

Be Conscious Of The Position Of Your Body

If you want to prevent mishaps, you need to know the proper body positions in doing things. For example, if you want to pick up something, you have to slightly bend your knees so that you don't strain your back. Proper posture will not only make you look younger, but will also help avert future strains and accidents.

Always Be Careful

You have to accept that you are no longer young and agile. Thus, you have to be careful in performing day to day activities such as taking a bath, climbing up and down the stairs, getting in and out of a vehicle, carrying heavy objects, picking up something on the floor, and many others. Many senior citizens have weak joints and bones so when they encounter even minor accidents, they may end up breaking their bones or damaging their joints.

Know How To Distribute The Load

If one of your joints is more used than the others, you may be putting that overworked joint to severe stress. In order to preserve the health of all your joints, you have to know how to distribute weight, pressure or load. For example, instead of standing on one foot, make sure you stand up straight to distribute weight to both knee joints.

Indeed, aside from medication prescribed by your doctor, there are a few steps that you can take to help you deal with joint pains brought about by old age. Being a senior citizen does not mean you have to stop doing the activities that you love; but the thing is, you have to be more careful because whether you like it or not, your joints are not how they used to be.