3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints
Do you have painful or stiff joints?
Lots of people experience joint pain, mostly while exercising. There are ways to protect your joints while working out.
How You Can Strengthen Your Joints As You Age
Keep Exercising
Exercising is essential to building stronger joints, the worst thing you could do is to stop working out (unless you’re suffering from joint pain or recovering from a hip, knee, or any other joint surgery). Without having a regular exercise routine, the muscles will become weaker and your joints may become stiff and fragile. It’s alright to ease off your complete program while the pain persists, but when your body has healed, slowly go back to regular workouts.
Stay Hydrated
It’s important to stay properly hydrated while you exercise. Drinking water really helps to lubricate your joints and prevent muscle cramping.
Drinking water can also help your muscles remain strong. Staying well-hydrated enables your muscles to work longer and more efficiently before they are tired, and this will definitely help you build muscle.
High-absorption Curcumin
Curcumin (a combination of 3 highly beneficial curcuminoids), from the turmeric root, could be very good for joint health. Turmeric powder is very poorly absorbed. There are available high-absorption curcumin supplements, but before you try them, be sure the product has improved joint health in clinical studies.
Fantastic Fatty Acids
The omega-3 fatty acids have a variety of health benefits, from supporting heart and joint health to promoting mood and healthy cognition. Omega-3s play an important role in regulating the body’s healthy inflammatory responses. It reduces the chances of having issues with your blood circulation, and joints.
Vitamin C and Collagen
Collagen is a group of large proteins which provide strength to the body’s connective tissues. Collagen is a significant structural part of this connective tissue, that holds our cells in their allocated areas within our organs and tissues. Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen for healthy skin, joints, circulation, bone tissues, and all the body’s organs. It’s suggested to supplement with a 1-2 gram daily dose of high-quality vitamin C.
These are the Worst Sports for Joints
Seriously think about avoiding these sports particularly if you are currently dealing with joint pain):
- Basketball
- Football
- Long-distance running
- Rugby
- Racquet sports like racquetball, tennis and squash
Any sports activity where you kick a ball, run at high speeds or make rapid changes of direction may be punishing to the joints.
We’ve looked at some sports which are harmful to your joints, here are some of the activities you could consider if you suffer from joint pain…
3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints
The Best low impact exercises for joint pain
1. Joint strengthening exercises – Walking
Walking is probably one of the easiest and healthiest exercises. Walking provides oxygen to the brain and stimulates blood flow. Walking will help you clear your mind, improve your mood, and burn some calories all at the same time.
Walking doesn’t require any practising or any special ability. The health benefits are extensive. Aside from trimming your waistline, walking can help:
Lower blood pressure, Improve your mood, Increase blood circulation, Improve blood sugar regulation, Decrease unhealthy high levels of LDL cholesterol, Raise HDL cholesterol to higher, much healthier levels, Will allow you to stay fit and strong.
Beginners could start to walk for 20 minutes, 3-5 times per week. When you become more comfortable, try picking up the pace. You can extend the duration, or pick a more challenging course to take your walks to the higher level. Walking is one of 3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints.
2. Joint strengthening exercises – Rowing
Activities like kayaking, canoeing and rowing are considered low-impact sports. Because movements made during these sports activities are cyclical, fluid and easy on the joints.
These water sports are good for exercising the upper body and core. The hips and knees are spared extreme joint strain. You could also use a rowing machine in the gym or your fitness centre for the same low-impact, but heart-working exercise. Rowing is one of 3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints.
3. Joint strengthening exercises – Swimming
Swimming is perfect for your health as a low-impact sport. It enhances and increases lung function and the body’s use of oxygen.
Swimming is amongst the only exercises where you burn calories, strengthen many muscles without putting stress on your joints and boost your metabolism. Your joints are fully supported, so you don’t need to worry about sustaining any type of injuries that can come from running or another high-impact sport. Swimming is very beneficial for people with joint problems because, while in the water, you’re non-weight-bearing.
Depending on the pace of your swimming, you are able to burn between 500 – 600 calories an hour. Using the breaststroke for half an hour burns up almost 400 calories. Swimming is one of 3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints.
Best Indoor Exercises for Joints
You can do stretching and flexibility exercises in the gym or at home. There are hundreds of joint mobility exercises you can consider. Leg extension, lunges, squats, arm circles, seated row shoulder presses and step-ups.
Make sure that you properly warm up before any exercise or physical activity by doing basic stretches like these.
Bottom line: physical exercise is probably the most important thing you can do to maintain your body and brain healthy. Exercising is an excellent way to feel great, have some fun and keep healthy.
As your goal, try at least 20-40 minutes of some type of physical activity each day. If you would like to lose some weight, you can extend the duration and increase the intensity of your exercise routine.
Adding these tips into your practice will help strengthen your joints and reduce joint pain. You will be able to stay active and enjoy your healthy life with your 3 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Joints.