Don’t let short skirts become joint killers in early spring’s lingering chill

    Wearing shorts in chilly winds or air-conditioned rooms allows cold drafts to attack unprotected knees, letting wind, cold, and damp invade local meridians — the worst scenario for your joints. Nowadays, many young people, having “cut off” from exercise, have particularly fragile bones and joints. Add to that an unbalanced diet, and internal bodily changes create favorable conditions for the onset of knee osteoarthritis.

　　Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases, with numerous types — over 100 have been diagnosed worldwide. Among them, osteoarthritis is the most prevalent. In fact, it isn’t an inflammation but rather wear and tear, along with aging, of the joints. The incidence of this disease rises sharply with age.

　　In the past, people believed that joint problems only occurred in old age, but that’s no longer the case. Doctors report that, years ago, almost all patients with arthritis were over fifty or sixty, mostly male and engaged in physically demanding work. Their joints bore more weight and wore down faster. Nowadays, however, middle-aged and young patients in their thirties and forties are becoming more common; fewer people do heavy labor, while more work in intellectual jobs or offices. Also, the number of female patients is gradually increasing.

　　Take Ms. Li, 36, for example. As a department head at a company, she often works overtime, sits at a desk, and uses computers for long periods. As a result, she has joined the ranks of those suffering from joint disorders early, with varying degrees of damage to her neck, shoulders, waist, and wrists.

　　Why are more women affected? Short skirts and high heels become joint ‘killers’

　　Autumn and winter are peak seasons for arthritis-related illnesses. Recently, due to dropping temperatures, hospital visits for arthritis have noticeably increased. Ms. Lu, a 30-year-old white-collar worker, recently felt stiffness and discomfort in her knees when sitting or starting to walk, although the discomfort would ease after moving around or walking a bit. Her family suspected arthritis, so she went to the hospital. Tests confirmed she indeed had knee arthritis.

　　What’s going on? Deputy Chief Physician Yu Tangyun from the Orthopedics Department stated that young women developing arthritis like this are not uncommon. “Currently, because many girls love fashion and enjoy wearing high heels and short skirts, they have become a high-risk group for arthritis.” Frequently wearing high heels puts pressure on the knees, and women who shop in heels often do so for hours, placing all their body weight on the balls of their feet, disrupting the body’s balance. Over time, this leads to joint wear.

　　Wearing short skirts in cold seasons leaves the area below the knees exposed to chilly air, further impeding surface blood circulation. When knees are exposed to wind, cold, and damp, they’re prone to pathological changes. Data shows that nearly 40% of white-collar women suffer from osteoarthritis, which is largely related to their fondness for high heels and tall boots.

　　“This is mainly due to changes in lifestyle,” said Yan Lianqi. He explained that many young people today work on computers, facing screens for about ten hours a day. They usually take elevators to and from work, and weekends are often spent catching up on work or sleeping, with little time for exercise.

　　Additionally, due to lack of exercise, more and more office workers are now overweight. Excess body weight puts long-term excessive strain on joints, accelerating wear. The same goes for drivers — their knee and ankle joints are the most vulnerable, while holding the steering wheel for extended periods increases the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, all because of maintaining one posture for too long and lack of activity.

　　It’s explained that joints have a unique structure. Joints can move because there is cartilage between them, but cartilage has no blood vessels, creating a problem for metabolism. During movement, the space between joints is compressed, pushing synovial fluid out and drawing it back in, which helps the cartilage metabolize effectively. Without regular movement, cartilage can’t metabolize properly. Over time, the wrists, elbows, and shoulder joints of office workers and computer users, as well as the knee and ankle joints of drivers, are prone to damage, leading to arthritis.

　　In short, joints are hard to “please” — too much movement causes wear, but too little does damage as well. That’s why, among today’s arthritis patients, those doing heavy physical labor are decreasing, replaced by the “sedentary crowd.”

　　Which body parts are prone to arthritis? Over 40% of cases affect the knees

　　Yan Lianqi, deputy director of the Joint Surgery Department at Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, explains that arthritis is not exclusively a “privilege” of the elderly. People over 40 with weight-bearing joints will experience changes, though most symptoms appear later in life. By then, the joint degeneration has already affected the bone, and it’s often too late to start paying attention.

　　All joints can develop osteoarthritis, so which is the most “fragile”? Think about which joint bears the most weight. Yan Lianqi says about 41% of osteoarthritis patients suffer from knee osteoarthritis. This is because the knees bear heavy loads, move frequently, and are easily injured by trauma, fatigue, and exposure to wind and cold.

　　Knee osteoarthritis is a slowly progressing disease. From the first instance of pain to the late stages of the condition can take over a decade or even longer. Many people thus overlook emerging symptoms, delaying treatment.

　　Yan Lianqi warns that although patients may not yet have developed full-blown symptoms, when squatting, they may feel unusual friction when touching their knees with their hands. Some patients may also experience joint swelling. These are early signs that are easy to miss.

　　3 reminders:

　　Yan Lianqi states that although osteoarthritis can’t be completely prevented, certain measures can reduce or delay its onset. These include losing weight, avoiding high heels and tall boots as much as possible, and not wearing short skirts in cold autumn and winter weather. Protect joints from injury — avoid repeated impacts or twisting forces, and try to minimize frequent stair climbing.

　　Also, eliminate factors contributing to joint strain, such as overweight individuals losing weight appropriately, using vehicles more and walking less, and avoiding mountain climbing or stair climbing. Engage in proper, moderate physical exercise within allowable limits based on individual conditions to improve the metabolism of nerves, muscles, and bone joints, slowing their aging process. Never assume that only resting without activity can protect your joints.

　　Laptop users may cause more harm to their hands. This is because the laptop keyboard is directly placed on the desk, positioned relatively higher. A higher wrist position leads to greater wrist strain, and similarly, the higher and farther the mouse is from the body, the greater the strain on the hand and shoulder joints. The ideal mouse placement is when, while seated, the upper arm is parallel to the ground.

　　Yan Lianqi says that as people age, joint issues are inevitable. But if they pay attention to proper exercise regularly, the age of joint aging can be postponed. “Seniors should focus on walking, swimming, cycling, and non-weight-bearing joint flexion and extension exercises. Avoid maintaining the same motion or posture for long periods. Activities like mountain climbing, stair climbing, and squatting are not suitable for seniors.” For seniors already suffering from joint issues, avoid overloading the joints, getting them wet, or exposing them to cold. Avoid standing or sitting for long periods, and don’t keep joints in one position too long.