Take care of joints during Chuseok

By Song Sang-ho

It will soon be the most important holiday in Korea, Chuseok, when we gather with family to share great food and good times. However, the hectic holiday schedule, the visiting of relatives, the preparation of food and the related rituals can place special burdens on the joints.

This year, in particular, many people have an extra day off since the adoption of the Replaceable Holiday System. Despite resting during the holidays, many people complain of fatigue afterward and this is commonly referred to as “holiday syndrome.” Special attention must be paid during the holidays if you want to avoid this side effect.

Chuseok begins with onerous preparation. As people rush to visit their hometowns or the graves of family members, they spend more time than usual on the road.

As a result, drivers and passengers stay in their cars for a long time, which strains muscles around the neck and shoulder, as well as putting pressure on the joints. But you can avoid muscle strain and damage to the joints by stretching for 10 minutes every two hours.

Preparing food can be also quite strenuous. Women are tasked with preparing different types of holiday dishes in large quantities. As they do more housework and have less time to rest than usual, their joints and muscles also suffer from holidays, especially because they stay in the same position for a long time without moving much to make the food.

Making Korean pancakes is especially strenuous on the knees because you usually sit on the floor for a long time. Squatting is one of the most unadvisable positions for the health of knee joint because too much weight is loaded on the knee joints and it can damage cartilage as a result. Most of the time, the working hours are long and blood circulation is poor, which explains the numbing and joint pain afterward.

Knee joints of women have less muscle and are smaller than those of men. And, after menopause, they become more susceptible to damage as a result of reduced estrogen. Squatting or bending knees for a long time can heavily damage the joints. So it is advised to work at a table, sitting on a chair, instead of on the floor.

According to Korean tradition, people visit their relative’s graves during holidays. Most graves in Korea are located on a hill, and you should also pay attention to what you wear, because going up a steep hill or mountain in a suit or high heels can increase the risk of accident, such as spraining the ankle or falling off the heel.

The elders must pay particular caution because they can fracture the hip joint if they slightly hit against something or fall on the ground. Going down the hill is more risk than going up.

When coming down a hill, take as twice much time as when you go up, and hold the tree or rock around you or use a climbing stick to distribute the body weight and minimize pressure on the knees. Slipping can be prevented by hiking tools such as boots or a stick, which is especially helpful for people with weak joints.

I hope your Chuseok will be full of happy memories and joy instead of pain and fatigue.

This writer is the president of the Wellton Bone & Joint Hospital.