Letter to the Editor: Understanding Tin Man Syndrome

Remember the tin man in “The Wizard of Oz?” 

His joints froze up for lack of oil. All he needed was a good lube job. 

Have you noticed during this near year of quarantine that you feel a little stiffer than usual or that your knees are aching a bit more? 

The human body is endowed with a myriad of bursa. To put it simply, these bursa are little sacks containing synovial fluid that, with exercise, squirt the oil as a lubricant so your joints move freely with minimal friction. No “oil” means maximum friction, which equates to joint wear and tear. 

I am a senior adult that has been sitting around quarantine for too long. My knees and right shoulder are starting to bother me, so my daily schedule has been modified. I’m now walking our dog three times daily instead of once, also doing stretching and strengthening exercises three days per week for both trunk and limbs. 

Bottom line: Getting enough exercise might be almost as important as socialization when it comes to our health. I don’t want to end up like the tin man. 

Thomas Hicker 

Vader