STHS To Host Special Webinar To Highlight The Importance Of Maintaining Good Joint Health For Overall Well-Being

For the next installment of its monthly Let’s Talk Your Health webinar series, STHS will offer education on joint health and how neglecting it can lead to pain, reduced mobility and an increased risk of injuries and conditions like arthritis

It’s a simple fact: The body’s joints are vital for movement, flexibility and stability. They serve as the connections between bones that allow us to move, bend and conduct everyday activities.

“No matter what you’re doing throughout the day, your joints make it possible,” says Gerardo Salinas, DPT, CSOMT, FAAOMPT, Lead Physical Therapist, STHS McAllen Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. “Without them, we’d be immobile and unable to perform simple tasks like walking, lifting or sitting.”

Unfortunately, more than 32 million Americans are living with osteoarthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most common causes of poor joint health in the United States. Others include gout and tendon and ligament injuries.

Poor joint health can lead to a variety of complications, including reduced mobility, chronic pain syndromes and joint deformities.

“Untreated joint conditions can cause structural changes in the joints, which can result in deformities and further functional limitations,” says Salinas. “Prolonged joint pain can lead to the development of chronic pain conditions that can greatly impact one’s quality of life.”

Over time, joint limitations and the pain associated with it can significantly impact one’s emotional well-being, leading to mental health disorders.

“Joint pain can impact one’s sleep, concentration, ability to work and relationships with loved ones,” says Salinas. “Not managed correctly, the stress of chronic and persistent pain over a long period of time can lead to feelings of depression, loneliness and anxiety, according to studies.”

To help Rio Grande Valley residents understand the importance of maintaining good joint health, South Texas Health System will dedicate its latest Let’s Talk Your Health webinar to the subject.

Broadcast live on the STHS Facebook Events page on Tuesday, August 19, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., the online seminar will offer important education on the impact of joint health on everyday life. During the webinar, Salinas will offer important advice on protecting joint health through a combination of exercise, diet and lifestyle choices.

For more information on the webinar, visit the STHS Facebook Events page. To watch previous Let’s Talk Your Health Seminars, visit STHSLetsTalk.com.

About South Texas Health System

South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system’s South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first and only freestanding children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart and seven freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen, Pharr and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.