ORTHOPEDIC HEALTH RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, we’re all familiar with the “biggies” – the usual stuff like more time at the gym and less at the bar, not to mention cutting back on junk food and spending sprees.
But your health goals might not always go beyond dropping a few pounds or boosting your energy levels. And that’s a shame, because orthopedic health resolutions can actually help support your other health goals. By focusing on muscle, bone and joint care, you’ll be building a foundation for good health and a stronger overall body.
In fact, focusing on musculoskeletal health and mobility improvement may be the single most important New Year’s resolution you can accomplish in order to support your quality of life going into 2025 – and well beyond!
Orthopedic health goals may not seem very exciting – especially if you’ve never experienced any serious issues – but they can actually form the support structure for your physical and even mental well-being.
Musculoskeletal wellness impacts literally every moment of your life, from the quality of your sleep to your ability to perform simple tasks. Healthy joints and muscles support activities like walking, household chores and job tasks – whether you’re working in a warehouse or at a desk.
The cost of ignoring orthopedic health is simply too high for the majority of people. Whether problems start in early adulthood, or after several decades of bad habits, neglected orthopedic health will likely show itself in reduced mobility, ongoing stiffness and chronic pain.
That’s why the time to take real control of your orthopedic health starts today!
Not surprisingly, a lot of non-orthopedic health resolutions – including improving your cardio health, boosting immunity and looking your best – dovetail perfectly with orthopedic-specific steps you can take. Some of the most important include:
If you’ve been more sedentary than you might like to admit, stepping up your fitness pursuits is a great resolution for 2025! But it’s important to take it easy as you start out, to avoid injuries. Low-impact workouts like swimming, walking and yoga are not only easy on the joints, but they provide many of the same cardio and muscular benefits as high-impact exercise such as jogging.
Losing those holiday pounds is an inevitable New Year’s resolution for many of us. But sometimes the guilt of “letting yourself go” can lead to a vicious cycle of even more indulgent snacking. Instead of beating yourself up, focus less on your external appearance, and more on what a healthier weight can add to your life. Especially if you have knee and hip pain, losing some weight can ease the strain on those joints.
The best way to lessen your chances of having serious muscle and joint strain is to start working on your posture. Try to cultivate a “posture check” several times a day, until it becomes natural to lie, sit or stand properly. Keeping your head up and shoulders back is important whenever standing or sitting. At night, a pillow between the knees is helpful for both side and back sleepers, while stomach sleepers should try to train themselves to fall asleep in a different position.
As much as lifestyle changes in 2025 can make a big difference, sometimes you also need professional advice and treatment. Here are a few warning signs that setting up an appointment with an ortho specialist is warranted:
Joint pain that doesn’t go away. Everyone tweaks a knee or overworks a wrist from time to time. But if you have any pain that lasts for more than two weeks, it’s time to seek out professional joint care treatment.
Decreased mobility and stiffness. Are you finding it hard to do normal activities, like getting out of a chair or walking short distances? That could be a sign that you have a chronic condition such as arthritis. The sooner you get a diagnosis and start receiving treatment, the better.
Swelling and/or deformities. Swelling around any of your joints is one sign of an advanced condition that needs professional care. Others include deformities like bunions, bent fingers or “hammertoes.”
If you haven’t made musculoskeletal wellness and joint care top priorities, you don’t have to suffer from chronic conditions or injuries -- or blindly search for “orthopedic surgery near me.”
Reach out to Mississippi Sports Medicine for help. Our services include The Therapy Center, a full-service rehabiliation clinic; an Urgent Ortho Care clinic; onsite digital imaging; both inpatient and outpatient surgery; sports performance training; sports physicals; a pharmacy; and more!
Contact us to find out how we can painlessly and effectively evaluate your orthopedic wellness and determine where improvements can be made. Start the New Year strong with Mississippi Sports Medicine!
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