Informing the youngsters
Lot of youngsters in Kashmir Valley had adopted a healthy habit of going to the gym to get their bodies in shape. The phenomenon may be great as regular exercising not only helps the young population to stay healthy but also keeps them away from various social evils including drugs and other addictions.
Exercising regularly offers many benefits and one finds it quite interesting that a huge chunk of young population is seen visiting the gyms in the morning and evening hours. Their motive of remaining fit and healthy seems quite good but at the same time the youth need to be informed about the various ills that come with being part of the body building craze.
Just this week a group of orthopaedic experts raised a serious public health concern, stating the misuse of steroids and unregulated protein powders is severely damaging the hips of young gym-going individuals in their 20s.
This warning came during the ‘Delhi Hip 360’ conference held in the national capital, where orthopaedic specialists highlighted the alarming rise in cases of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) and early hip degeneration in youth, conditions traditionally seen in older adults.
Experts suggested that they are observing a significant surge in hip-related complaints among young patients in recent years. Even investigations conducted on the phenomenon often reveal Avascular Necrosis (AVN), a condition where blood supply to the hip bone is compromised, leading to bone death.
In over 70% of these cases, there is a history of anabolic steroid use or excessive consumption of unverified protein powders. Even recent studies have indicated a rise in hip issues among youth and how alcohol and steroid use were key contributors to AVN among young adults, he said.
More recently, the Maharashtra FDA launched a state wide checks on protein powders after several brands were found to be spiked with performance-enhancing steroids, many of which are freely available online or at gyms without proper labelling or approvals.
Youth, especially those chasing rapid physical transformation, are unknowingly damaging their bone health, particularly the femoral head of the hip joint, which is uniquely sensitive to blood flow changes.
Ironically, there is a thriving underground online market for performance-enhancing drugs and muscle-building supplements in India. And tragically, the fitness instructors who are least qualified to advice youngsters on muscle and body building sermon them to consume various brands of protein powder which has severe ill effects on the overall health of the people.
What is more worrisome is that the condition, AVN, is not only painful but also often irreversible if not diagnosed early. In extreme cases, the only treatment is total hip replacement, a complex procedure typically meant for older patients. Orthopaedic experts say this is becoming disturbingly common in India’s urban youth.
Another observation presented by orthopaedic researchers revealed that over 30 per cent of AVN cases seen in Delhi’s tertiary hospitals over the past three years involved patients under 35, and most had a history of steroid injection, oral steroid abuse or supplement misuse.
What is needed is that fitness trainers, influencers and gym owners should educate their clients about the risks of shortcuts like steroid cycles and unverified protein supplements. This may impact their sales to some extent but will help in saving the youngers from long term health issues.
