We often take our joints for granted. They are just there, doing their job silently. We only start noticing them when pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility come into play. Fortunately, there are ways to invest in your joint health and prevent long-term orthopedic injuries.
Our expert, Dr. Thomas Kane III, shares seven tips to show your joints some love and maintain a high quality of life.
Our joints are nourished by a phenomenon called “elasto-hydro-dynamic nutrition”. They have no blood supply: they receive this nourishment from their joint fluids and that fluid is distributed to joint cartilage by motion.
When people first start working out, they often make big plans that, more often than not, end in overwhelm. In reality, you don’t need to lift heavy weights or exercise for one hour per day, five days per week to maintain a high quality of life.
However, motion puts your synovial fluid in action. This is the fluid surrounding your joints that lubricates your cartilage and provides essential nutrients for repair.
Walking, swimming, or cycling, even for just 2 hours per week, can do wonders. Some people can do more, others less. Listening to your body and pain signals is key to ensuring you are actually getting stronger and not pushing through an injury.
If your main concerns are your knees and hip joints, carrying excess weight could be contributing to their degeneration, as these are load-bearing joints. One of the best ways to determine whether you are at a healthy weight is to calculate your BMI. If you have a few extra pounds, a small caloric deficit can accumulate over time, gradually reducing excess weight. Every extra pound of body weight puts 3 pounds of additional stress on your hips and knees.
Do you spend most of your time in front of a desk? Chances are you're slouching, which redistributes weight and puts uneven pressure on your joints and ligaments.
Checking in with your body throughout the day can help. Notice your posture when standing in line or working on your computer. Ergonomic adjustments to your workspace can also make a difference.
Water makes up nearly half of your cartilage, the tissue that cushions your joints. When you don’t drink enough water, cartilage loses its sponginess, increasing the risk of friction and wear.
Your urine can be a good indicator of hydration levels. Light yellow urine often means you are well hydrated.
Enthusiasm can sometimes lead people to jump straight into exercise without warming up, but slowing down does not mean you are taking it easy. Warming up increases muscle temperature and improves tendon flexibility, reducing the risk of injury.
It makes sense that for certain occasions, less comfortable shoes may be your choice. However, for daily activities, shoes with proper arch support and cushioning are key. Your alignment starts with your feet, and the wrong shoes can throw off your entire kinetic chain. You should purchase new athletic shoes every 6 months if you are exercising regularly.
Your abdominal muscles support your spine and stabilize your entire body. When these muscles are underdeveloped, other joints must work harder to compensate, increasing the risk of injury. Certain specific exercises can easily strengthen your abdominal core muscles.
If you are experiencing joint pain or stiffness, a home program may not be enough to halt joint degeneration. A professional evaluation can help you build habits that are truly supportive and provide access to treatments that relieve pain, slow degeneration, and improve quality of life.
Want to learn more about improving the health of your joints? Contact us to schedule an appointment in our office located in Honolulu, Hawaii.
