There are many painful and irritating conditions that originate at the joints. Back problems, knee problems, shoulder pain; every part of you that moves is susceptible to problems that will slow you down and make everyday tasks uncomfortable.
Luckily, there are easy ways to avoid joint pain and maintain healthy joints.
Move
“Motion is lotion” is a simple reminder that your joints will be less stiff the more they are used. Even if most of your day consists of sitting at a desk, switch up your position regularly, and take frequent breaks to stand up and move your joints.
Lose Weight
Many joint issues are correlated with weight; particularly back, hip and knee pain. A healthy diet and exercise can help your body balance the load on your joints. Even a pound of weight loss removes four pounds of pressure on your knees. Imagine how good the rest of your joints would feel at a healthy weight.
Be sure to consult your doctor before starting any major weight loss plan.
Stretch Daily
Increasing your flexibility helps your joints move better. For the best results, always stretch after you exercise; never before. Stretching cold muscles can actually damage your joints. Go for a walk, run, jump rope to warm your muscles up before you stretch.
Do Low Impact Exercises
Jogging is great for your heart, but hard on your joints. Bouncing and jarring movements put lots of pressure on your knees, hips and back.
If you’re noticing joint pain but still want to exercise, try a low impact alternative such as walking, biking, swimming or strength training.
Do you experience joint pain? What do you do to help maintain healthy joints?
If you’ve tried diet, exercise, medication and are still experiencing joint pain, come visit us at Mountain Peaks Family Practice.