Protect Your Joints and Reduce Aches With These Five Steps
Oh my aching back, knees, hips...fill in the blank.
Joint pain is something that plagues millions of people around the world. It's one of the most common sources of pain for adults and has a variety of causes from one-off injuries to chronic conditions. I played high school and college lacrosse and have been playing tennis player for more than 30 years, so believe me, my knees know all about it!
One of the first rules of protecting our joints is to listen to our body and what it is trying to tell us. While it is important to rest, it is also vital to stay active and keep our joints moving. Obviously, if chronic joint pain is keeping you from enjoying your life, you need to see a doctor or physical therapist. But the idea is to prevent or reduce joint pain before it gets to that point. We have some simple tips that you can do today to help keep your joints in tip-top shape.
- SarapulSar38/ThinkStock
SarapulSar38/ThinkStock 1Get Your Calcium
You can’t have healthy joints without having strong bones. That’s why it’s important to get enough calcium
- Dirima/ThinkStock
Dirima/ThinkStock 2Have Fun In The Sun (but not for long)
Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption. It’s found in foods like salmon, mushrooms, as well as in fortified milk and cereal. We only need about 15-20 minutes of sunshine to get the Vitamin D we need. After that, time to get in that shade!
- 3
Eat to Fight Inflammation
Arthritis affects about 26 percent of women and 18 percent of men, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can help.
- Getty Images/iStockphoto/ThinkStock
Getty Images/iStockphoto/ThinkStock 4Stay strong
Building muscle strength in your legs and your abdomen goes a long way in protecting your joints. You can do that with free weights, yoga, Pilates, and resistance exercises.
- RobertHarris000
RobertHarris000 5Consider Glucosime
Glucosamine is a natural compound found in cartilage — the tough tissue that cushions joints.People use glucosamine sulfate orally to treat a painful condition caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage (osteoarthritis). Glucosamine sulfate might provide some pain relief for people with osteoarthritis.
