A joint is the connection between two bones. Smooth tissue on the surface of joints is called cartilage; synovial lining is a very thin layer of tissue that lines the joints; and a lubricant called synovial fluid work together as a cushion so that bones do not rub together. As we age, injury can wear and tear our cartilage. Even sitting the wrong way or carrying too much weight can lead to a reaction that can damage our joints and lead to arthritis.
The best way to care for our joints is to keep them strong and stable, together with our muscles, ligaments and bones. Here are some tips for good joint health.
Your body weight plays a large part in your joint health: The less you weigh, the less strain you place on your joints. Weight-bearing joints, such as our knees, hips, and back, have to support some, if not all, of our body weight.
Research has shown that with every pound gained, a person puts four times more stress on the knees. Losing those extra pounds reduces pressure on the knees, hips, and back and helps prevent joint injury. When you walk down stairs, your knees absorb a force up to five times greater than your body weight. Even when walking on a flat surface, your joints will moan and groan under too much of a load. A healthy diet is one way to keep excess pounds off.
If you're a heavy coffee drinker, you may want to consider cutting down or switching to a half-caffeinated coffee blend. Caffeine has been shown to weaken bones, and weaker bones lead to weaker joints.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts, can help decrease inflammation of the joints. Calcium, which can be obtained through vegetables like broccoli and spinach, helps prevent and reduce bone loss. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the food you eat.
Bone and joint experts suggest that cardiovascular activities that increase heart rate, such as aerobic exercise, can reduce swelling of the joints. Our best choices are exercises that won't give the joints a pounding. Low-impact exercises such as swimming or bicycling are preferred over running.
Couch potatoes, computer addicts, and others who sit all day long have a high risk for joint pain. Less movement means more stiffness in their joints. If you work at a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, try to change positions frequently, stretch or go for a short walk. If you can't leave the office, try taking phone calls while standing.
Stretch out every day. Spend a few minutes stretching your fingers, wrists, arms, ankles and anything else you plan on using for the rest of your life. Each stretch can be as short as five or ten seconds. Try to move your joints through their complete range of motion, as long as it doesn't cause you pain. You can do this by using sturdy household objects to provide support while you gently turn, stretch, twist and limber up.
With regular stretching, your joints won't just retain mobility—they'll grow more limber and produce results you may have thought were no longer possible.
Strong muscles support our joints. When we don't have ample muscle support, our joints take a beating. This is especially true for the spine, hips, and knees, because they must support our entire body weight. Weight training exercises help build strong muscles as well as help to strengthen the surrounding ligaments. That way, the joints don't have to work alone but have helpful partners.
When we engage in weight-bearing exercises, our bones rise to the challenge and grow stronger in anticipation of supporting those loads again. Thicker bones equal fewer joint problems down the road.
Toning up will also improve our balance, which makes it less likely to sustain trauma in a nasty fall. Gaining muscle will also help any weight loss efforts.
Although our bodies can bend and twist in all kinds of ways, they're designed to maintain a specific posture when not in action mode. By maintaining good posture, our muscles and skeletal system work together to put less strain on our joints.
Good posture limits our bones from rubbing against each other unnecessarily at the joints, preventing or putting off the onset of arthritis. We can train ourselves to stand up straight, and once our muscles become accustomed to the proper form, they will feel an overall ease in stress. We actually have to use more muscles and place more stress on our joints when we slump or slouch. Good posture helps the shoulders, hips and knees from feeling tight.
Start early in taking good care of your bones and joints. You may well be preventing a joint replacement in your future!