“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.”
-Mark Twain
FitQuip- Smoke Gets in Your Bones
I would assume that most of the people who regularly read my FitQuips, because of their strong interest in health, do not smoke. If you do, here are even more reasons to stop. If you don't smoke, pass this info on to someone who may be helped.
By now, we all know the negative health impact of smoking in terms of our heart and lungs, with increased risk of certain cancers, heart disease stroke, blood clots and so on. It remains one of the leading causes of premature deaths and disability worldwide. Smoking also causes wrinkles and premature aging of the skin.
Did you know that smoking can also negatively affect your musculoskeletal system? That's right, smoking can cause significant problems and malfunction of your muscles, bones, joints and even your spine.
Scientific research has confirmed a smoking related impact in the following orthopedic scenarios:
• Osteoporosis. Smoking is one of the causes of the bone weakening condition osteoporosis.
• Fracture healing. Individuals who smoke will find that certain bone fractures will heal more slowly (delayed union) or even get into difficulties with bones that do not completely heal at all (non-union).
• Back pain. Smokers have a higher incidence of lower back problems including back pain and degenerative disc disease. Smokers who undergo spinal fusion surgery have significantly higher failure rates in which the fusion does not take. Spine surgeons often require that patients stop smoking before having certain spine related surgical procedures.
• Muscle / tendon tears. Smokers seem to get into difficulty with tendons that lack optimal blood supply and healing capability- like the rotator cuff in the shoulder. I believe it also affects tendons involved in tennis elbow and Achilles tendinitis.
• Replantation hand surgery. If someone is unfortunate enough to accidentally have a finger cut off, and hand surgeons re-attach it, even secondhand smoke in the vicinity of that patient will cause the replanted finger to turn blue. This is the most obvious direct result of smoking's ability to choke off circulation that I have ever personally witnessed. It is quite dramatic. Imagine what it does inside your own body, if passive smoke can do this to someone even 20 feet away.
• Complications. Smokers are also at higher risk for a wide variety of non-orthopedic complications after undergoing orthopedic surgical procedures.
One of the common denominators for many of the above damaging effects of smoking is the effect smoking has on the microcirculation in your body. Microcirculation is the tiny network of blood vessels you have in the nooks and crannies of your body. It is vitally important for nutrition, repair and remodeling at the tissue and cellular level, especially in the musculoskeletal system. Smoking related chemicals literally shut down the microcirculation, starving those areas of needed supplies required for optimal function.
Not that you need more reasons not to smoke, but these should help you help yourself, a co-worker or someone else close to you. Also, do everything possible to prevent the young people or children around you from starting, and remember that passive smoke is just as bad for you.
FitTip:
Stay far away from smoke and other tobacco products- even your muscles, bones and joints will appreciate it.
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