If you’ve never experienced joint pain, consider yourself lucky. We all know someone who has knee problems, had a hip replaced, suffers from shoulder problems, or is hobbled by back pain. As you age, it may seem like joint pain is inevitable; but that may not be the case. In Chinese medicine, the health of your joints is explained by more than just blind luck.
According to Chinese theory, your joints are related to the internal organs of your Kidney and Liver. Your Chinese Kidney system regulates your overall body constitution; how you grow, how healthy you will be, and how well you’ll age. Your Kidney is also responsible for the health of your bones, which includes your joints. In fact, a cardinal sign of a depleted Kidney system is weakness and pain in your lower back or knees. In contrast, your Chinese Liver governs the flow of all the systems and energy in your body. Your Liver system is also associated with joints in that it’s associated with the health of your ligaments and tendons. A healthy Liver system translates into strong but flexible ligaments and tendons.
In addition, in Chinese medicine, when you have joint pain of any kind—whether from a traumatic injury, arthritis, or simple wear and tear—you have something called a Bi (pronounced Bee) syndrome. A Bi syndrome is basically a painful blockage in the joint in the form of poor circulation, swelling, and reduced range of motion.
While you can’t rebuild lost cartilage in your knees or undo arthritis in your back, there are some things you can do—or things to avoid—that can help you prevent some kinds of joint pain. Among them:
1) If you’re overweight by more than 20 pounds, know that the excess weight is putting a strain on your joints. The weight is unduly stressing your feet, knees, lower back, and may be altering your posture. I know it’s easy to say and hard to do, but losing excess weight may save you a world of pain in the long run.
2) Choose good footwear. High heels are a common cause of problems in the joints in your feet; most notably bunions and hammer toes. They also throw your spine out of alignment, which can be a source of back pain in the long run. Flip flops can also cause joint problems, in that most offer no arch support and are a common source of knee pain. Worn out shoes that no longer support your feet can mess up your posture, also raising your risk for joint problems.
3) Check your posture. In the past three decades, neck, upper back, and shoulder pain has become epidemic due to the amount of time many people spend hunched in front of their computer or looking down at their phone. Good posture means that when you’re standing up, your ears, shoulders, and hips stack up.
4) Also under the heading of posture, if you regularly carry a shoulder bag, even if it’s worn across your body, you’re putting your back out of alignment. A backpack or handheld bag is a better choice when it comes to aligning your body and saving your joints.
5) Sleeping on your stomach is a nightmare. When you sleep on your stomach, you’re twisting your spine and neck for hours on end, opening the door for arthritis, tight muscles, and joint pain in your neck and upper back. A better choice is to sleep on your back or side.
6) When it comes to healthy joints, the adage “use them or lose them” is accurate. Moving your body lubricates your joints and improves your range of motion.
7) However, know that overuse is a common cause for all kinds of joint pain. Whether it’s tennis elbow, runner’s knees, or a sore back from gardening, know when to call it quits. A good rule of thumb is to stop when something starts to hurt.
8) Stretch. You may think that stretching is only about your muscles, but it increases your flexibility overall, lubricates your joints, and helps you to maintain your range of motion.
9) Think about acupuncture and Chinese medicine. If you struggle with joint problems, your acupuncturist has a number of healing tools to help relieve the pain and strengthen your Chinese Liver and Kidney systems for healthier joints.
Joint pain isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion. With some preventative care and the help of a good acupuncturist, you may be able to improve the health of your joints and avoid painful joint conditions.