How To Keep Joints Healthy

Joint health is a major concern as we age. There are some basics which can help in keeping the joints healthy. This blog talks about few lifestyle modifications that can keep ensure wellbeing of your joints.

Following are the few steps to keep joints healthy:

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT 

Being overweight places extra strain on your weight bearing joints, such as your knees, ankle, hips and back pain. By achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, you can limit the amount of stress on your joints and reduce your risk of joint damage. 

KEEP MOVING

Staying active can help to reduce stiffness in joints. Low impact exercises such as walking, cycling, strength training, and stretching can help your joints stay mobile.

Walking is often the easiest way to get started or remain being active. There are many benefits to walking for fitness. Here are some tips for getting the most from your walking program:

-Walk briskly

-Choose good walking shoes with padded soles and good arch support

-Don’t use hand or ankle weights. They can cause injuries. 

-Indoor walk like walk on treadmill, doing static cycling is also beneficial especially for knee joint. 

DOING EXERCISES FOR HEALTHY LIFE STYLE

Warm up exercises- Do a light warm-up first, like walking for 10 minutes, to loosen up the joints, ligaments and tendons around them. The best choices are activities that don’t pound your joints, like walking, bicycling, swimming, and strength training. 

Power Up Your Core- Stronger abs and back muscles help your balance. That means you’re less likely to fall or get injured. Add core (abdominal, back and hip) strengthening exercises to your routine. Pilates and yoga are great workouts to try. 

Stretching after exercises- Flexibility helps you move better. Try to stretch daily or at least three times a week. But don’t do it when your muscles are cold.

Know your limits – Its normal to have some muscle aches after you exercise. But if you hurt for more than 48 hours, you may have overdone it. Don’t push so hard next time. Working through the pain can lead to an injury or damage.