Joint Awareness

Our joints are hidden hinges and include ball and socket joints. When they work efficiently it's easy not to think about them. We can check up visually on other working bits of our body but our bones fortunately remain concealed. A worn out bone can only communicate through pain and loss of flexibility and I suppose that is how it gradually dawned on me that I was developing an arthritic hip.


It all began six years ago....but how was it possible when I was only 54? Surely I was far too young to have arthritis. Not so, according to my doctor and the inevitable Xray. I immediately began to try to pinpoint a cause. Could it have been the

• ballet lessons I had as a child?
• much loved horse riding?
• jumping from high walls, when dared by my older brother?
• carrying of three babies perched on my right hip?
• bending and squatting when teaching small children?
• digging my veggie plots?
• walking?

But the list was pointless. It was no good thinking 'if only I hadn't done'........

This was something I needed to accept. I could exercise and maintain my general fitness but ultimately I would need help to resolve this frustrating problem.