Healthy joints, which are the spots in your body where two or more bones are joined together, are crucial when it comes to being able to move around freely, but, with age, the functionality of major joints in the body is often decreased, not only causing pain, but also a loss of mobility. However, with the right combination of nutrition and exercise, you will be able to take the very best care of your joints for years to come.
Warm-Ups
Keeping physically active is extremely beneficial for your joints, as it keeps them, as well as the muscles around them, healthy and strong, which will also prevent future injuries from forming. However, taking your body immediately from a resting state into one of physical exertion puts a large amount of strain on your joints, as this does not give them a chance to prepare for the exercise. This makes warming up absolutely crucial, as this will boost your blood flow throughout your body, while putting your joints through a range of motions that will loosen them up in time for the more strenuous upcoming activities.
Keep Moving
If you are someone that leads quite a sedentary lifestyle, then your joints are at risk for problems in the future. Whether you are spending all day at a desk in an office, or enjoying a relaxing day at home in front of the television, try to change positions as often as you can to prevent stiffness from forming in any of your joints.
Swimming
There are many different exercises out there that can help with the knees, hips and shoulders, but one of the best ways to exercise your joints is by swimming, as the water supports your full weight, taking the pressure off of your joints. This allows you to increase your range of motion, as well as your endurance, without causing extra stress to your knees, hips and shoulders.
Nutrition
While there is no specific dietary cure for joint pain, there are certain foods that you can eat that will be especially beneficial to your knees, hips and shoulders. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in their highest concentration in fatty fish, such as sardines, mackerel and salmon, do wonders for the joints, as does vitamin D and calcium, both of which also support bone health.
Weight Loss
Being overweight puts excess, and unnecessary, stress on your joints, especially your knees. Losing just one pound of body weight takes around four pounds of pressure off of your knees, which can make a massive difference in the long run. Extra weight can also have an impact on your hips and your back, making it important to begin a weight-loss regime if you are overweight, especially if you have already been noticing some joint stiffness or pain.
Your knees, hips and shoulders give you ease of movement and flexibility, and, when this is reduced, quality of life also begins to drop. For this reason, it is extremely important to take proper care of all of your joints from an early age, so that you will be able to keep them strong and healthy throughout your later years.
