Smoking and Musculoskeletal Health

Effects of smoking on health
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable deaths. Each year more than 440,000 people in the United States die of tobacco-related diseases. In fact, smokers can expect 7 to 10 years less to live as a Non smoking.
Smoking is brought to heart and respiratory diseases and various cancers. Most people are not aware that smoking has a serious negative impact on bones and joints.


Effects of smoking on Musculoskeletal Health
Every tissue in the human body is affected by smoking, but many effects are reversible. By avoiding or give up smoking, you can reduce the risk for the development of many conditions. Smoking cessation may also help your body back some of their healthy function.
Here's what researchers found about the relationship between smoking and musculoskeletal health.

    * Smoking increases the risk of osteoporosis - a weakness of the bones, causing fractures. Older smokers are 30% to 40% more likely to break their hips than their Non smoking counterparts. Smoking weakens the bone in several ways, including:
          o studies have shown that smoking reduces the blood flow to bone is doing, as in many other body tissues.
          o The nicotine in cigarettes slows the production of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts), so they make less bone.
          o Smoking reduces the absorption of calcium from food. Calcium is necessary for bone formation and mineralization, with less bone density, smokers develop brittle bones (osteoporosis).
          o Smoking seems to break estrogen in the body faster. Estrogen is important to build and maintain a strong skeleton in women and men.
    * Smoking also affects other tissues that make up the musculoskeletal system and increases the risk of injury and illness.
          o rotator cuff (shoulder) tears in smokers are almost twice as large as that in non-smokers, which is probably related to the quality of these tendons in smokers.
          o smokers are 1.5 times more likely to overuse injuries such as bursitis or tendonitis, suffers as Non smoking.
          o Smokers are also more likely to suffer traumatic injuries such as sprains or broken bones.
          o Smoking is also a higher risk of lower back pain and rheumatoid arthritis.
    * Smoking has a negative influence on fracture healing and wound healing.
          o fractures take longer to heal in smokers about the harmful effects of nicotine on the production of bone-forming cells.
          o smokers have a higher rate of complications after surgery than Non smoking - such as poor healing and infection - and the results are less satisfactory. This is combined to the decrease in blood supply to the tissues.
    * Smoking has a negative impact on athletic performance.
          o Since smoking slows lung growth and impaired lung function, there is less oxygen available for muscles used in sports. Smokers suffer from shortness of breath almost three times more likely than non-smokers. Smokers can not walk or go as fast or as far as Non smoking.
    * Do you smoke too thin and can put you at risk for fractures. Nicotine signals the brain to eat less and can start the body of adequate nutrition to prevent. A good body weight is important for overall health