We all have a tendency to take the ease of everyday movement and activities for granted – and by the time they’re no longer easy, it can be that much harder to get your joint health back on track.
That’s why it’s so important to look after your joint health by default, ideally long before joint issues rear their ugly head – and if they do, you will already be well-versed in leading the kind of healthy lifestyle that helps to manage joint pain. To that end, here are some healthy habits you can adopt to help keep joints in tip-top shape for a long time to come.
Regular movement
The purpose of your joints is to enable movement – so it naturally follows that keeping them moving would be beneficial to maintaining their health. Physical activity promotes the circulation of synovial fluid, the natural lubricant that helps to keep joints moving. And without any direct blood supply, the cartilage that cushions your joints relies on the pumping action of joint movement to receive nutrients.
Being sedentary for too long means your joints stiffen; regular movement means they stay supple. This doesn’t mean you need to go overboard on exercise – gentle exercises like walking, swimming, cycling and yoga are exactly the sort of activities that keep joints mobile without impacting them too heavily. It’s keeping moving regularly that’s most important.
Strengthen muscles, support joints
The muscles around your joints help to keep them stable and absorb the impact of movement. When the muscles around your knees, hips, shoulders and spine are weak, the strain on those joints is increased.
Doing exercises to strengthen the muscles a couple of times a week can help to keep your joints stable, cushioned and protected from injury. Squats, glute bridges and resistance bands can all be great starting points, but even carrying your shopping home can help! Just remember to start gently and increase intensity gradually.
Take breaks from sitting
Much of modern life is centred around being sedentary: sitting at desk chairs, during the commute, or on the sofa. Prolonged periods of not moving stiffen the joints and weaken the muscles, so it’s important to take steps to prevent this.
Whatever you’re doing, try and ensure you take a break to stand up and stretch a bit every hour or so, and maybe even think about tasks that you can do while taking a walk (e.g. phone calls.)
Watch your weight
Your load bearing joints – your knees, hips and spine – are very sensitive to excess weight. As a result, keeping your weight at a healthy level is very important to reducing wear and tear on your joints.
And although joints are sensitive to excess weight, this also means that losing an even small amount can have a significant impact on reducing joint pain. So it’s always a good idea to ensure you are eating well and keeping your weight within a healthy range.
Listen to your body
If your joints are starting to feel the strain, they’ll tell you. A twinge on the stairs; stiffness in the morning that wears off later in the day; feeling achy after a walk – these are all things easily dismissed as the niggles of ageing, but they may be early signs you should be listening to.
Any pain that is persistent or consistently getting worse is something that is best checked by your GP or physiotherapist. Getting an early diagnosis for joint issues can result in treatment and tailored exercises that can prevent the symptoms progressing.
Adjust when necessary
Listening to what your body is telling you also gives you the opportunity to make positive, joint-healthy decisions for yourself.
- Swap some high-impact exercise, such as running on hard pavements, for swimming or cycling.
- Wear supportive footwear and set up your workspace so your body is well aligned.
- Use tools that take the strain, such as jar openers, ergonomic handles and kneeling pads.
Don’t think about adjustments as giving in to joint pain; think of it as fighting joint pain in the long term.
Think long-term
Ideally, your joints will last you a lifetime, so it’s very important to think about them in the long-term. Each positive lifestyle change you make is another step towards preserving your joint health for the future, and it all adds up – each daily activity; each stretch during a sedentary work day; each joint-healthy meal you eat.
Why wait for the pain? The best time to look after your joints is now. If you’re looking for something to support your overall joint health FlexiSEQ range of gels are specially formulated to deliver plant based lubricants to your skin & joints to help keep you supple, flexible & mobile for the long term.