As we grow older, our body goes through a course of wear and tear. One of the most common signs of this wear and tear is joint pain. As the cartilage that cushions our joints wears away, the friction in between joints is increased, which causes joint pain. Unfortunately, the cartilage that has worn away does not grow back. So, if this happens, you need to find a solution by getting a checkup from an orthopedic surgeon. Before this happens, what you can do is protect your cartilage and avoid premature joint pain. Here are some tips on how to take care of your joints.
1. Lose weight
If you are overweight, it is recommended that you lose that extra weight to relieve your hip and knees from stress. The weight you carry is amplified on your knees so even if you just lose a few pounds, it means a lot for your knees. If you do this, it can lessen the wear and tear on your joints. Moreover, this can help slow down the progress of arthritis, which is the common disease that causes joint pain.
2. Workout your joints
To care for your joints, you should do cardio workouts rather than high-impact workouts. The latter tend to cause more stress on your joints, which can make them experience sudden pain. If this happens, you need to revisit your routine and change it. Otherwise, you may be doing more damage to your joints than caring for them.
When you workout, your heart performs well with blood pumping. With proper blood flow, your cartilage will be well nourished, which delays wear and tear. Good cardio exercises are walking, stationary biking, and swimming. Running is a high-impact workout so it’s best to avoid it, especially if you are overweight.
Aside from keeping your joints pain-free, regular cardio workout helps you maintain a healthy weight.
3. Build muscles
Aside from losing weight and working out to keep your joints healthy, it helps that you build muscles too. If you have strong muscles, then they can be effective in absorbing the impact that can harm your joints. A good workout for building muscles especially around your joints is squats. This makes your leg and thigh muscle stronger such that even if you choose to run, the impact on your joints might be minimal.
4. Do some stretching
It helps if your cartilage is elastic. To improve the elasticity of your cartilage, regularly stretching can do the trick. This also helps reduce stress on your joints like on your hip and knees. You can stretch as a warm-up before a workout or you can just do it as a routine when you wake up in the morning.
5. Getting Started
Request a consultation with one of the orthopedic specialists at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute. Call (920) 560-1000 or request an appointment online.
OSI has convenient locations to serve you. The campus in Appleton includes clinics, a surgery center, MRI, physical therapy, and a skilled nursing facility, as well as a walk-in clinic that provides care for new orthopedic injuries.
OSI has outreach clinics in New London, Ripon, Shawano, Waupaca, and the newest location serving the Green Bay area, inside the NOVO Health Clinic in De Pere.
OSI is a proud member of NOVO Health.