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Almost one-fourth (23.9 percent) of seniors between the ages of 60 and 90 suffer from frequent hip pain.

Whether it’s the result of a bad fall or is brought on by a combination of poor mechanics and old age, it’s important for seniors to know that they’re not doomed to suffer from hip pain for the rest of their lives.

Read on to learn some simple tips to help seniors combat hip pain.

1. Do Hip Bridges
A hip bridge is one of the best exercises you can do to combat hip pain.

To do this exercise, simply lie on your back with your feet hip-distance apart and planted on the ground. Press into the ground and lift your hips in the air, trying to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees (don’t arch your back).

Hold for 3-5 seconds, then return to the beginning. Complete ten repetitions.

2. Use Ice Daily
Icing your hip can work wonders for relieving pain and inflammation, especially if your hip pain is brought on by bursitis or arthritis. Depending on your pain level, you can ice your hip up to 4-5 times per day in 10-15-minute increments.

3. Raise the Seat
Many seniors find that their hip pain is aggravated when they try to lower themselves onto and raise themselves up from a chair, sofa, or even a toilet. Devices like a chairlift or a raised toilet seat can help reduce hip strain for seniors as they stand up and sit down.

4. Stretch Consistently
Consistent stretching is also important for relieving pain and improving hip mobility. The figure 4 stretch is one of the best for hip pain.

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent. Lift the leg that’s bothering you and cross it over your other leg so that your ankle is resting on your opposite thigh. Pull the bent leg in toward your chest, clasping your hands around the back of your thigh if possible. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then release and switch sides.

5. Use Natural Anti-Inflammatories
Finally, instead of using over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, which can cause serious issues for seniors, try using a natural anti-inflammatory like curcumin (found in turmeric). Turmeric is safe for most people, and research shows it works just as well as ibuprofen for improving joint pain and function.

Bone spurs, which are small projections that develop on the edges of bones, are a highly common ailment that affects about 2 percent of the U.S. population.

People of any age can develop bone spurs, but they’re especially common in senior citizens since they are often associated with osteoarthritis-related joint damage.

Bone spurs don’t always require medical treatment, but, depending on their location, they can contribute to joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness that limit mobility. Bone spurs along the spine are particularly problematic, as are ones that develop in the knee or ankle joints.

For seniors who are struggling with bone spurs, there are lots of different treatment options available, including the four listed below.

 

1. Weight Loss
Weight loss is one of the most effective treatments for managing bone spurs, especially spinal bone spurs.

Changing your diet will is, generally speaking, the most effective weight loss tool. Focus on limiting your caloric intake and cutting out greasy fast food and highly processed snacks. Replace them with high-quality protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like avocados and olive oil.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can also help lubricate the joints and relieve inflammation.

2. Lifestyle Aids
There are lots of tools out there as well that can help relieve pain caused by bone spurs. Some good options to invest in include:

Supportive shoes that cushion the feet and avoid putting extra strain on the joints
Orthotic inserts to provide extra support
A shoe horn to help you avoid bending over and aggravating your back while getting dressed

3. Regular Exercise
Exercise releases natural painkillers in the form of endorphins. It also strengthens the muscles to help support the joints and relieve pressure placed on them.

Resistance training, walking, and swimming are all good exercise options for people struggling with bone spurs. Work with a trainer or physical therapist to make sure you’re practicing proper form and not doing anything to aggravate your condition.

4. Minimally Invasive Surgery
Finally, some people require minimally invasive surgery to get rid of their bone spurs. When you undergo surgery, a doctor will use state-of-the-art equipment to identify the spur and extract it.

This is typically an outpatient procedure, and the recovery time only lasts a few hours — you’ll be up and walking shortly after and won’t have to deal with an extended hospital stay.

Putting on a bit of weight – a pound or two – each year as you grow older is fairly normal, but weight gain is not always inevitable. Many people simply assume that everyone gains a little weight as they get older. They tend to accept it as a part of growing old. You don’t have to do that.

We do put on weight as we age because we become more sedentary, move around less frequently, and eat more calories even when our metabolism has begun to slow down. But, there are ways to deal with weight gain.

Here in this post, we will discuss the top five ways to deal with weight gain as you grow older. Read on.

1. More Physical Activity

To prevent weight gain, it is important to add regular movement to your day. This is the MOST important advice that you shouldn’t ignore at any cost.

You can go on morning/evening walks more often, take the stairs at work, or hit the gym a few times each week.

You need to move around.

The chief reason why we lose muscle mass as we grow old, which in turn lowers metabolism, is that we spend too much time without any physical movement. After the age of 40, we lose around 8% of lean muscle mass with each passing decade.

When you are physically active, it will be much easier to preserve muscle mass and maintain a healthy metabolic rate. Activities such as regular exercise, lifting weights, etc. will also increase bone density. You can also try doing yoga at home or at a local fitness training center.

Remember, every little bit counts when you are dealing with weight gain.

If you are on medication, have an existing health condition or are recovering from an injury, be sure to speak with your doctor before you start with a new exercise routine.

2. Get More Protein

Taking more protein at each meal/snack not only helps in building and repairing muscle mass, but it also helps control the appetite.

The best way to use protein-rich foods to reverse the weight-gain cycle is to choose the leanest sources. You need to eat foods that are high in protein but low in fats.

Some of the leanest sources include non-fat dairy products, seafood, egg white, poultry breast, lean pieces of red meat, beans, tofu, lentils, etc.

Your high-protein breakfast for weight management can include skim-milk with some lean sources such as low-fat yogurt and an egg.

Your high-protein lunch/dinner for weight management can include 2-3 ounces of lean meat. You can have some skim milk during lunch and dinner as well.

3. Watch What You Eat

Bid adieu to foods (e.g. junk food) and drinks (e.g. soda) that provide little or no nutrient value.

Limit your carbohydrate intake as much as possible.

You can limit both the size and the type of carbohydrate you are consuming on a daily basis.

Carbs from whole gain, for instance, can be helpful in dealing with weight gain.

Each time you are hungry, try to eat something that’s low on calories and makes you feel fuller.

Many vegetables and whole fruits, for instance, provide a wide range of nutrients (along with fiber and water) for a comparatively small number of calories.

4. Be Realistic

As you grow older, you will need more time to lose weight. Someone 10 years younger than you can deal with weight gain more easily.

So, you must focus on the process instead of getting worried about weight gain. You need to eat right and keep yourself physically active. Your body will respond to these two major lifestyle changes in its own time.

5. Maintain a Diary

Do not let yourself believe that you cannot stop gaining weight simply because you are getting older.

You can keep a daily journal to keep yourself motivated. You can write things like – how much weight you lost or gained in a week, how much time you spent exercising/strength-training, and how much water/healthy-drinks you consumed each week.

You can monitor the progress you are making each week.

This way, it is easier to stay the course.

Author Bio
Sarah Remmington is one of the founders of Garcinia Cambogia 100 Pure supplements based out of Southern California with several other locations throughout the US. Sarah’s company has become a global brand and now a household name with the success of her most popular dietary supplement which has been featured on many different media channels.