The older generation always says: as you age, your legs age first. With the increase in age, the various functions of the body begin to decline, and the physical condition is not as good as before. The bones also become more fragile, often resulting in leg and back pain. So what causes leg pain in the elderly? Let's uncover the mystery together.
1. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease caused by multiple factors, especially common in postmenopausal women and elderly men.
Primary osteoporosis is a common disease in the elderly, and its cause is due to aging, resulting in hormonal imbalance and low bone formation.
2. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease characterized by degeneration, degeneration, and proliferation of joint cartilage. It mostly has a hidden onset and progresses slowly, with the most prominent symptom being joint pain.
Leg pain caused by knee osteoarthritis is related to changes in climate. The pain worsens during cold weather and improves during warm weather.
3. Intermittent Claudication
Intermittent claudication refers to the absence of obvious pain when the patient is not walking, but when they start walking, there is a sense of soreness and discomfort in the lower limbs.
The cause of intermittent claudication can be due to compression of the nerves in the lumbar spinal canal or vascular disease in the lower limbs.
Tips to relieve leg pain:
1. Toe Raises
Lift your heels and walk on the balls of your feet for a hundred steps to exercise your flexor muscles. From the perspective of meridians, it is also beneficial for the smooth flow of the three yin meridians of the foot.
Older people should pay attention to safety to avoid instability and falls. It is best for those with severe osteoporosis not to do this exercise.
2. Massage the Kunlun Acupoint
People who travel often feel back and leg pain, and some people may even strain their back and limb muscles due to improper exertion.
The Kunlun acupoint is a specific acupoint for treating back pain. By massaging it correctly, you can effectively relieve back pain.
The technique is not difficult to master. Press the hollow behind the outer ankle with your finger and move it back and forth against the large tendon for 1-2 minutes.
3. Calf Push
If you have numbness and pain in the back of your calves, push the calf muscle; if you have numbness and pain on the outer side of your calves, push the side of your calves near the small toes.
Sit on a chair and apply pressure from top to bottom using the base of your palm or the edge of your hand, pushing down 20-30 times. You can apply some massage lotion or use a layer of soft cloth for cushioning.
Foods that can relieve leg pain:
1. Milk
The calcium in milk can strengthen bones and teeth, reducing the occurrence of osteoporosis.
Some substances in milk have a protective effect on middle-aged and elderly men, and the incidence of hypertension is also lower, and the occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases is also less.
2. Ginger
Ginger is a natural pain reliever. In recent years, ginger has gained attention for its ability to relieve pain and assist in the treatment of arthritis. Traditional Indian medicine has long used ginger to treat rheumatism and arthritis.
3. Onion
Onions can remove free radicals in the body, enhance metabolism, and have anti-aging and osteoporosis prevention effects, making it a suitable health food for middle-aged and elderly people.
