Exercises and Techniques to Keep Your Joints Healthy

Understanding Joints in the Human Body

The meeting point of two or more bones is where your joints are located. They provide you with the ability to move and flex. Devoid of your joints, you would be incapable of walking or engaging in any physical activity. 

The body possesses three primary types of joints: 

• Hinge joints – Hinge joints facilitate movement in only one direction. For instance, your knees are hinge joints as they solely move up and down. 

• Ball-and-socket joints – They offer the flexibility to move in almost any direction. Your shoulders and hips serve as examples of ball-and-socket joints. 

• Pivot joints – Pivot joints enable twisting and rotation. The movement of your head from side to side is made possible by pivot joints. 

It is important to take proper care of these structures if you wish to maintain your mobility. 

Common Causes Related to Joints

• Injury
• Lupus
• Viral infections
• Arthritis

How to Keep the Joints Healthy?

Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Joints

• Healthy Weight: The knees, ankles, hips and back are the weight-bearing joints. Maintaining a healthy weight helps the weight-bearing joints as the extra weight one carries adds extra stress to these joints. By maintaining a healthy weight, one can minimize the risk of joint damage. 

• Strengthening Muscles: The joints are supported by the muscles. It is important to strengthen these muscles by strengthening exercises like weight training. It is important to exercise with caution and not over-exert. A proper strength training program helps in joint stability and alleviates pain. 

• Quit Smoking: Smoking is one of the main reasons for escalating bone fractures and osteoporosis. Smoking also increases the chances of injuries related to bursitis or tendonitis. They also are at a higher risk for rheumatoid arthritis and lower back pain. 

• Core Strengthening: Strengthening the core, i.e., abdominal muscles, can help in many ways, including maintaining proper posture, which is essential for optimal joint health. Core strengthening also avoids the risk of falls and helps maintain balance.   

• Vitamin D and Calcium: Vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium. This can be acquired by exposure to sunlight, taking supplements or maintaining a balanced diet. Insufficient calcium levels are related to an increased risk of fracture due to reduced bone density. 

• Maintaining Posture: Maintaining good posture can lead to fewer muscle injuries and can alleviate the stress on joints. By being mindful of posture while sitting, standing, doing repetitive movements and lifting weights, one can avoid painful injuries and joint damage. 

Exercises for Healthy Joints

• Warmup and Cool down: It is important to warm up and cool down after exercising to reduce the risk of joint injury. Research has shown that just 15 minutes of warming up and cooling down can significantly lower the chances of getting injured. Start your workout slowly to gradually increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles. During the cool-down phase, you should gradually decrease the intensity of your training until your heart and breathing rates return to normal. It is also recommended to include dynamic stretches in your warmup and static stretches in your cool-down. 

• Flexibility Exercises: This helps maintain the full range of motion that our joints need. Activities like yoga, tai chi, and pilates are examples of active stretching exercises that can prepare our joints for more intense physical activity. 

• Low Impact Exercises: activities such as bicycling, paddleboarding, and swimming are excellent options that require minimal equipment. These exercises are gentle on the body and can be performed without putting excessive strain on the joints. Also, using gym equipment like an elliptical, stair climber, or stationary cycle can provide a low-impact workout for the legs. 

• Resistant Band Exercises: Another effective method for improving joint strength and stability is incorporating resistance band exercises into your routine. Leg lifts, bicep curls, and shoulder rotations can all be performed using resistance bands. Apart from this, exercises like tricep stretch, lat stretch, quadriceps stretch, Calf stretch, hamstring stretch and groin stretch also help in making the joints stronger. 

• Walking: Walking in particular is a low-impact exercise that not only reduces stress on the joints, but also promotes better blood flow, supplying essential nutrients to the cartilage and protecting the bones and joints. Studies have shown that walking can even reduce pain in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. 

• Aerobic Exercises: It is advisable to opt for lower-intensity activities like walking, biking, using an elliptical trainer, or swimming. These activities help minimize strain on the joints, especially if you experience joint pain or have noticed any deterioration in joint function. It is important to avoid high-impact exercise such as jumping or running on hard surfaces like sidewalks or streets in such cases. 

When to Avoid These Exercises?

If any of the following symptoms occur, it is recommended to stop exercising until you are able to consult with a doctor:

• An increase in swelling
• Sharp, continuous or stabbing pain
• Pain that causes limping or alters your walking pattern
• Joints that feel warm to the touch or appear red
• Pain that persists for more than 2 hours after exercise or worsens during the night

Conclusion

Joint issues can lead to discomfort and rigidity, which can have an impact on your overall well-being and quality of life. Therefore it is important to prioritize the maintenance and enhancement of your joint health for successful ageing. Fortunately, there are many measures you can take, such as engaging in regular exercise, to ensure that your joints remain in a good condition. 

FAQs