Your Mother Was Right

                                      

How are you, on this fine morning?

Today I need to leave a  post about the care if elbows and knees.  We may all recall our mothers telling us not to put our elbows on the table, because it was not considered polite or refined.

                                    

The elbow ettiquette may have seemed silly at the time, because it was just plain natural to prop your chin with your elbows, or rest your elbows on the table when the meal was finished: a sign of contentment and satisfaction.  

Elbows on the table may have been less-than-polite, but did you know how delicate the elbows are? They were not actually created to hold things up or to brace things. They are fragile bones only made to move freely and can be easily damaged by wrong use!  Putting your elbows on the table can result in internal damage to the elbows, such as bursitis, (painful swelling) broken bones,  and permanent damage. An elbow or knee injury in your youth can give you trouble the rest of your life. That is how an injury to the elbow can affect you and that is why I am bringing this up. The house can be a source of physical injury, and great care should also be taken to guard yourself.

                                        

 To protect the elbows while reading, make sure the arms of the chair are padded, or that you have cushions to comfort them. If possible, wear clothing that covers elbows, knees and even the ankle. Knees are also just joints used for bending, and not intended as braces or muscles. Knee pads should be used when gardenning or doing anything on the floor.  When we had the cushy carpets with their spongy padding, it was not so hard on the knees to get up from sitting on the floor, but now, we have to learn to protect the knees from injury. 

I noticed many of the men's  lady's clothing in pre-20th century photographs and paintings covered the elbows and the knees, or at least the trousers and sleeves could be rolled down over these important joints.

It is easy for a homemaker to injure these areas, resulting in bruising or swelling. There are some effective natural things you can do to alleviate the pain caused by prolonged elbows on the table. An ice pack helps, as well as wrapping a stretchy bandage around it. Soak a swollen elbow in calendula tea (available at most grocery stores, also know as dandelion root) Make sure the elbows are not propped up by anything harder than a soft bed-pillow, and be careful to let them be free of getting bumped.  Do a web-search for more details on the signs of elbow damage and the treatments available.  

To prevent injury of the elbows at home, make sure wall edges are covered with the proper woodwork, and that arms are kept close to your sides to prevent nicking the elbows around hard furniture and appliances, doors and doorways. The ankles are also very delicate and the most painful when injured. They also need protection by wearing adequately covered shoes and if wearing flats, walk carefully and be aware of where you place your feet. One common source of injury to the delicate bones of the feet is the modern steel shopping cart, which hits the forestep of the foot. I try to choose a small cart that has a higher basket and no metal bar close to the area where you step.  For cuts from these horrid contraptions I find the silver mineral spray very effective if used several times a day.

When we were taught to write properly, our elbows were just off the edge of the table while our paper was at a slant, and never did we rest  our elbows on a the hard surface of a desk. 

Sometimes when the mind is so preoccupied with things that must be done, we are not conscious of protecting these areas of the body. Rushing through the house or mindlessly going about some task can result in injuries to the knees, elbows and other places. I am sure everyone has had the awkward experience of trying to explain an injury due to heedlessness.  Teach children not to get in the habit of putting their faces up close to things that might injure them, from packages that are being opened with scissors, to oven doors, appliances and anything in the house that could cause injury. Regularly examine the home to remove anything that may cause injury, such as cords that can be tripped over or things that can be knocked over.

 What do a few scrapes and scratches matter? You never can be too careful with the skin, either.  It is the outer layer of the immune system protecting everything underneath. Treat your body well, for it was designed to serve you as you serve The Lord.