Why do I have more complaints despite physical activity? | Lifestyle

During consultation hours, specialists, including a dentist, an oncologist and a cardiologist, answer a reader’s medical question each week. This week, orthopedic surgeon Michiel van Trommel answers a reader’s question about why he has more and more physical ailments.

Ask

Even though I’ve started working out more, I still get complaints as I get older. What’s up with that?

Answer

When you are young you are flexible and everything moves smoothly. As we age, everyone feels that their muscles and joints become stiffer. In fact, the margin, the space between normal functioning and disturbances, gradually decreases. In itself a normal phenomenon. Sport is an important factor that contributes to maintaining the widest possible margin.

Exercise, for example, keeps the cartilage in your hips in order. The many joints in the back are more difficult to maintain properly, which is why many people suffer from stiffness in the lower back. There is nothing wrong with this in itself. The nerves that exit in the lower back to the legs and provide sensation can become difficult if wear and tear occurs in the lower back.

“Many people have stiff lower backs”

Discomfort often occurs on the thigh and buttock side of the affected side. The cause lies in the back, while the sensation tells you that it is in the hip and upper leg. Also, most people call the side of the abdomen facing the upper leg the hip, when in reality it is called the flank. So confusion arises if you mention this complaint to your family doctor.

Fold

It’s not that complicated: Where a joint moves, you have a fold in the skin. Think of the creases on the palm side of your fingers. Right below are the small joints of the fingers. The hip is no different: the inguinal crease is directly above the hip joint. This is where pain often occurs when the hip joint is worn out.

We maintain the hip well with sports, and if it wears out, re-hip surgery is now a treatment that can often be done the same day.

With a few exceptions, the nerves in the back adapt to the new situation after some time and the complaints largely diminish over time. Back surgery is therefore a rare procedure.

Do you have a question? Send an email to [email protected]

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2024-01-10 06:38:00
#complaints #physical #activity #Lifestyle