Don’t Get Disjointed! 11 Tips For Healthy Joints

Healthy joints are absolutely crucial if you want to live a long, happy, quality life. Failing to look after your joints could mean a lack of mobility later on in life. This can cause all sorts of painful and uncomfortable problems! One of the best things you can do is start taking care of your joints now. Here are 11 tips to help you get started:

 

Switch Between Sitting And Standing

Sitting all day isn’t healthy, but neither is standing all day. Make sure you take a break from a sitting job around every half an hour, and try to do the same if you have to be on your feet for long periods of time. One way you can combat this is to get a stand up desk. They are known to enhance productivity and be great for your health, but you can still have a sit down when you need to.

 

Lose Excess Weight

If you’re overweight, you could be putting a lot of unnecessary stress on your joints. Every extra pound you carry puts 4x as much stress on your knees. Even just losing a few pounds could take a lot of stress off your body and make you much healthier. The only healthy way to lose excess weight is to focus on eating a healthy diet full of nutrient dense foods, and to get some exercise. Don’t go for fads and things that just don’t last!  

 

Keep Your Bones Strong

Keeping bones strong helps the joints too. A healthy diet full of calcium is important, but many people don’t realize you can actually get more calcium from veg than you can from milk! Salmon, yogurt, and supplements can be used too.

 

Eat More Fish

Fish is super healthy, usually full of healthy protein and fats to help you create a well balanced diet. This is thanks to the Omega-3 fatty acids that fish are full of. Fish is known to be a food that reduces pain and inflammation in stiff joints, so make sure you eat at least a few portions a week.

 

You could also use fish oil supplement capsules or glucosamine, which is made from the shells of crab, lobster and shrimp if you aren’t too keen on fish. There are alternatives for vegans/veggies too, so don’t worry if you don’t eat fish!  

 

Find A Form Of Exercise You Enjoy

There are many forms of exercise that can help you to support your joints. You’re bound to enjoy one of them! Swimming and walking are great as they are low impact and gentle on the joints, as is yoga. Not to mention very relaxing and great for the mind as well as the body!

You can create stronger muscles and denser bones by lifting weights, which also stabilizes and protects joints. However, just about any form of exercise you decide to do will help you to lose/maintain weight and keep your joints/body healthy.  An effective pain relief gel like Flexumgel will help to nourish your joints and muscles should you ache after a workout session

 

Wear Practical Shoes

Wearing heels all the time can put a lot of stress on the foot. A shoe that has a 3 inch heel puts 7 times the stress on your foot than 1 inch heel! It isn’t just heels you have to worry about either; shoes with no arch support are bad too. You want shoes that are flexible and supportive, with a rubber sole for extra cushion. Make sure you have chosen a great pair of shoes for working out especially!  

 

Get A Massage

If you want to relieve muscle tension and reduce fatigue, then getting a massage can be a great choice. Swedish massage focuses on the muscles and joints and can help to improve function, so this is a great idea if you’re already experiencing joint problems. Even if you’d just like to prevent it, it’s a great idea!

 

Take A Hot Bath

A nice hot bath can ease aching joints and muscle tension, as well as ease pain and stiffness all over the body. Try using some epsom salts in there to really draw out impurities and ease tension in your muscles.

 

Work On Your Range Of Motion

The range of motion is the amount joints can move in different directions. If you need real help with this, make sure you see your doctor or a physical therapist. To remember to do this, you can add them onto the end of your workouts. If you fail to stretch out and work on your range of motion at the end of your workouts, you can become very stiff and impair your progress.  

Know Your Limits

Make sure you know your limits. It’s normal to ache after exercise or a stressful day running around, but if you hurt for more than 48 hours, there’s a chance you’ve overstressed your joints. If you continue to do this you’ll need to start looking out for knee replacement surgeons and other professionals to help you. Treating joint injuries as soon as you realize you have one is so important. You will then need to avoid things that put too much stress on your joint, and you may need to use a brace to help stabilize it.

 

Maintain Proper Posture

If you do not have good posture, you’ll get compromised muscles, and eventually pain in your back. Vertebral discs don’t have adequate blood supply when the body is static, which is an important reason you must sit properly. A chair with low back support is ideal, and elbows, hips, and knees should be at an angle of 90 degrees. Don’t neglect proper posture when standing either!  
Make sure you start using these 11 tips for healthy joints right away so you can keep your body as healthy as possible and protect your joints. The great thing about these tips is that they can benefit you in so many other ways too. Don’t forget to reduce stress and listen to your body either; if you need a rest day, you should definitely take one! It’s all about working smarter and not harder.