The secret to healthier JOINTS

The Queen reportedly ditched her evening tipple to help her joints. Should you? And what more can you do to stay active and pain-free?

- ALI HORSFALL

Our joints need extra care as we get older. Unfortunately, with ageing comes an increased risk of arthritis and associated symptoms, such as joint inflammation, stiffness and reduced mobility.

‘Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, with more than 50% of people over 65 having some form of the condition,’ says rheumatologist Dr Rod Hughes. ‘It is generally age-related, with wear and tear of joint tissues causing the cartilage lining in the joint to gradually wear away.’

What’s more, almost half of menopausal women with stiff wrists, achy hips and creaky knees say it impacts their wellbeing*. ‘Many women experience aches and pains when the decline in oestrogen is constant and irreversible,’ says women’s health expert Dr Catherine Hood. ‘Without preventative measures, joint pain can become chronic, so creating a strategy to deal with it is vital.

The good news is that it’s never too late to improve joint health. Lifestyle tweaks will help prevent or manage problems – even the Queen ditched her daily dry Martini, following advice from royal doctors that less alcohol would be better for her joints.

Don’t stop moving