Find out if you're a likely candidate for poor joint health? Are you 45 years or older? Are you more than ten pounds overweight? Do you participate in more than three hours of heavy physical activity daily? Have you ever injured your knee or any other joint? Have you undergone any kind of surgery on any of your joints, even as a child? Have you complained of stiffness, pain or swelling around any joint over the last year? Can you walk or climb without pain in your hips or knees? If you have answered yes to any one of the above, you may have a higher chance of ailing joints in the future. Even, if you have undergone surgery on any joint as a child, it could affect you later in life. You may need to speak to your doctor soon regarding caring for your joints and averting any further discomfort to your joints.
Millions of Americans suffer from poor joint health and related discomfort. Age, along with other factors such as heredity, being overweight or past injuries could all increase the odds of you suffering from unhealthy joints as you grow older. You should consider taking proactive measures that can support the good health of your joints. If you think you are a likely candidate for unhealthy joints, or if you periodically suffer from mild joint discomfort, it makes sense to learn how to take care of your joints.
Here are some tips:
- Maintain a healthy weight – Being overweight is one of the main reasons for joint related discomfort. The best thing you can do to ease the pressure on your joints is to be at a healthy weight. This will help you lessen discomfort as well as reduce your risk of further joint weakness.
- Speak with a qualified dietician or doctor, especially if you need to lose more than twenty pounds and are exercising after many years.
- Exercise right – Regular exercise increases flexibility, strengthens your muscles, minimizes soreness, and can help the overall functioning of your joints. Always warm up before any work out. You can apply heat to specific problem areas to loosen the muscles before the exercise and allow for a greater range of motion.
- Don't overwork your muscles and pay attention to your body. If you find yourself tiring too quickly or have any sudden bursts of discomfort, stop and rest immediately.
- After your routine, cool down, let your muscles relax properly and if you are still sore, apply an ice pack to reduce any swelling.
- Opt for low-impact exercises such as biking, walking or swimming. As your stamina increases, you can add on a strength training weights program along with yoga or Pilates to increase flexibility.
- Whatever the exercise you choose, always invest in the correct gear, like proper shoes.
- Strengthen joints by the right type of exercise, for example: low impact routines and specific range of motion exercises. Don't overuse a particular joint. Avoid repetitive exertions on a particular joint over long periods of time-such as playing tennis. Avoid repetitive use of joints you have injured in the past as well.
- Watch yourself – When lifting and carrying things keep a watch on your posture and distribute the weight evenly throughout the body. Improper body movements can harm your back and muscles irreparably.
- Change your diet – Adding fish (for the omega 3 and its positive effect on joints) and five servings of fruit and vegetables a day will improve your overall health and help you lose weight as well. Other dietary changes to help protect your joints include increasing your intake of vitamin C and beta-carotene. This has been shown to reduce discomfort in the joints.
- Antioxidants like lutein and lycopene are also said to help joint health. These can be found in vegetables like carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and spinach and fruits such as kiwis, strawberries and oranges.
Taking care of your joints will help to delay joint degeneration which comes with age. As joints degenerate, the discomfort could become so intense that it may debilitate an active lifestyle. Proactive measures taken today can help keep joints supple and flexible to help you enjoy an independent life for a longer time.There are supplements that you can take to support healthy joint function and to help slow the progression of joint discomfort. GoFlex is a physician approved formula that contains a potent combination of joint-supporting nutritional building blocks necessary. This product offers a totally new approach to joint nourishment, protection and health. Remember there is no one definite way to prevent joint pain from happening to you, but there is a lot you can do to look after your joints. Just don't keep it until it's too late. Making changes in your lifestyle now will make a huge difference in keeping your joints healthy in the future.
