Protecting Your Joints After 50: What to Do and What to Avoid

Lower back pain, knee stiffness, and joint swelling and stiffness are our body’s SOS signals indicating the need for joint care.

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Starting in their 50s, many people begin experiencing knee stiffness, lower-back soreness, and even difficulty climbing stairs.

Andrew Tsai, director of Good Neighbor Rehabilitation Clinic in Taiwan, told the “Health 1+1” program on NTD, a sister outlet of The Epoch Times, that these problems are not merely signs of aging. Instead, they are the body’s SOS signals, indicating that the joints are gradually deteriorating.

Causes of Joint Degeneration

The rise in joint problems after age 50 is largely driven by three factors, according to Tsai.

1. Declining Repair Capacity

As we age, the body’s ability to repair itself declines, making everyday wear and tear more likely to lead to degeneration and pain.

2. Loss of Muscle Mass

Research shows that muscle mass begins to decline by about 3 percent to 8 percent per decade starting around age 30, with an even faster drop after age 60.