Lifestyle and diet both have huge roles to play in our physical health and many complaints and issues we may experience can be attributed to what we eat, how active we are, whether we smoke and so on.
In fact, new provisional NHS data has just revealed that gout cases are on the rise around England as a result of the pandemic and lockdown driving an uptick in unhealthy lifestyles.
In the three years to 2021/2022, cases of the illness climbed over 15 per cent, reaching 236,000, the Independent reports. Further surveys also found that people were exercising less and binge eating more during the various lockdowns from March 2020.
Gout itself is a form of arthritis and can cause severe joint pain, with flare-ups potentially lasting for up to a week. Pain is usually accompanied by red skin, swelling, warmth and extreme joint tenderness. It can affect any joint but the most commonly affected areas include the big toe, the instep, the heel, the ankle and the knee.
It is caused by a buildup of uric acid, but there are some prevention strategies you can employ that can be effective.
For example, try cutting back on alcohol or eliminating it altogether, as alcohol hinders the body’s ability to get rid of uric acid, which increases the chances of an attack.
Drinking more water, meanwhile, can help keep your kidneys in good health, allowing them to flush out uric acid successfully.
Food can also trigger a gout attack and it may be advisable to consider avoiding or limiting anything with high fructose corn syrup, organ meat like liver and some types of seafood, such as anchovies and scallops.
If you’re currently experiencing arthritis symptoms or feel you need help managing your condition, get in touch with us today to book an appointment with a Maidenhead physiotherapist.