Bone And Joint Health Action Week - What You Should Know

Bone and Joint Health Action Week is held annually from October 12 to October 20. The week aims to raise awareness about preventing, managing, and treating musculoskeletal disorders like back pain, arthritis, spinal deformities, osteoporosis, and pediatric conditions. Bone and joint conditions affect over half the population in our country, especially those over the age of 18. This, over time, can lead to disabilities and diminished productivity, not to forget the reduced quality of life. 

 

Five days are purely and individually dedicated to different musculoskeletal disorders to honor the Bone and Joint Health Action Week.

 

World Arthritis Day

 

 

October 12th

World Arthritis Day aims to raise awareness about the disease among the global medical communities about the suffering people have to go through. It also aims to raise awareness among the general public, caregivers, support groups, and policymakers. 

 

World Spine Day

October 16th

World Spine Day emphasizes the importance of indulging in physical activity and improving one’s posture as a part of injury prevention and good spinal health. 

 

World Trauma Day

October 17th

World Trauma Day is a dedicated day that aims to educate the global community about preventing and treating traumatic injuries. It also aims to raise awareness of their effective intervention. 

 

World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day 

October 19th

The World Pediatric Bone and Joint (PB&J) Day highlights the impact of pediatric bone and joint conditions among children. It also aims at educating healthcare professionals and the general public about the significance of musculoskeletal health issues. 

 

World Osteoporosis Day

October 20th

The World Osteoporosis Day aims at increasing awareness about preventing, diagnosing, and treating osteoporosis. It also emphasizes the significance of taking necessary action for enhancing bone and muscle health by regularly exercising, consuming a bone-healthy diet, and talking to an orthopedist about the condition. 

 

History 

 

 

The timeline for bone and joint health action week looks like this:

 

2002

Arthritis, for the very first time, became a cover story in a massive publication. Time Magazine covered the lead story entitled “The Coming Epidemic of Arthritis.” 

 

October 2004

The US Surgeon General issues a Bone Health Report. The report was released in October 2004 on osteoporosis and bone health, calling it the Decade’s National Awareness Week. 

 

2009

Bones and Joint Decade professionals meet in Washington to discuss musculoskeletal disorders and conditions. The discussions happened at the Bones and Joint Decade Annual Global Meeting, the first meeting bringing together influencers and medical professionals from the United States and 50 other nations. 

 

2010

Medical schools were required to be instructed and taught about joint and bone conditions. Most of these medical schools were now required to teach their students to perform clerkships specializing in musculoskeletal disorders. 

 

October 2012

The World Pediatric Bones and Joint Day was launched. This was the first time such a day kicked off. The theme of this day explored and emphasized Vitamin D deficiency in children. 

 

Significance

 

 

Musculoskeletal conditions can limit your quality of life. 

Anyone who has in the past suffered from a slipped disc or even a little “crick” in the back of the neck will realize that it is not possible to enjoy your life fully with pain. According to the US Bone and Joint Initiative, musculoskeletal problems are disabling health concerns that have cost American businesses over $847 billion in just two years alone. It is tough to enjoy your life, have fun, relax and even travel when people are in pain. 

 

Baby Boomers drive up medical costs. 

Even though bone and joint problems can easily affect the most athletic people, baby boomers drive up the medical costs for treating bone and joint health conditions. Those born between 1945 and 1964 have been seen signing up for Medicare since 2011, the cost of which is impacting American society in medical and economic terms. While, if we see the trends since 2020, these costs are only skyrocketing as these seniors continue to age. 

 

Collaborative effort 

The bone and joint health action week is a collective, collaborative effort. The events are co-sponsored by the US Bone and Joint Initiative along with the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health. Both these organizations have sights set on improving and preventing bone and joint conditions. This will further help people impacted by such health conditions and have a chance at being increasingly aware of their treatment options, resources, and research. 

 

Observing the bone and joint health national action week

 

Pick a day to attend 

The bone and joint health national action week is held for five days, with multiple activities you can choose from. On October 12th, you can observe World Arthritis Day, while on October 16th, you can observe World Spine Day. If you suffer from any kind of trauma because of a fall or an accident, you should not miss out on World Trauma Day on October 17th. On October 19th and October 20th, you can observe World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day and World Osteoporosis Day, respectively. To celebrate and raise awareness about these days, please visit your nearest healthcare facility on the respective days or contact your healthcare provider. 

 

Prevent Falls 

As per the data by World Health Organization, falling down is the second leading cause of accidental injuries, sometimes leading to death, across the world. People over the age of 65 have the largest share of these fatalities globally. This is why getting tested for bone density regularly is essential. Find out more about such preventative measures during the bone and joint health action week at your nearest healthcare center. 

 

Indulge in yoga

One of the best exercise regimes you can take up is yoga. Not only does it help strengthen your bones and joints, but it also helps you lead a healthier life. Invest in a great yoga class near you, with a professional instructor guiding you through the entire process. The best thing you can do to observe the event is to make the effort of moving around. 

 

 

Things to know about keeping your bones and joints healthy

 

Bones allow you to move while they support your stature and body structure. They protect your brain, your heart, and other essential internal organs from injuries. Bones are also responsible for storing necessary nutrients like calcium to help keep our bones and body strong. Bones later release this calcium as and when needed by our body for other uses. 

 

If we do not keep our bones healthy, they can become fragile and might even break down. Broken bones and fractures can put you into excruciating pain and can cause long-lasting health concerns as well. 

 

Our joints are places where two bones in our bodies meet, like your knees or your elbows. Joints are also made up of cartilage, which is like the natural spongy shock absorber on the ends of your bones to prevent them from rubbing against each other. Most importantly, your joints can help you move around and help your body stay active. 

 

How to keep your joints and bones healthy?

 

1. Consume a balanced diet. It is essential to consume a balanced diet to increase your vitamin D and calcium intake. Dairy products, vegetables, eggs as well as salmon will be excellent additions to your diet. 

2. Exercise to increase overall circulation in your joints. This also helps maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can put pressure on your joints which can cause pain and swelling. 

3. Use ice packs or a bag of frozen vegetables on the sore spots to cure your aching joints.

4. Inform your healthcare provider about your pain, if any. If it improves or worsens, they will be better off providing you with a good treatment option that will help you. 

 

Now is the time to raise awareness

Now more than ever

 

 

Every year in October, the world witnesses the bone and joint health action week. The week allows people to think about one of the most widespread health conditions in the current times - musculoskeletal health. 

 

Now more than ever, having excellent musculoskeletal health allows us to have a chance at better wellbeing, helping us get back on track. We are looking to rebuild our way of life, daily activities, and the way we work now, including how we eat and feel, which can build or disrupt our musculoskeletal health. Having stronger bones and muscles can help us live better lives. 

 

With the ongoing global pandemic and more than 18 months of facing all the uncertainty, stress and inactivity, closure of swimming pools and gyms, weight gain, and our changing lifestyles, we are struggling the most with physical and mental health concerns. 

 

Supporting excellent musculoskeletal health allows us a chance at better wellbeing, better life, and health. It also helps us get rid of all the pain that increases disability and challenges in our lives.