Maintaining healthy joints and staying flexible is essential for people of all ages, whether you're an athlete looking to improve your performance or just hoping to stay active and pain-free as you age. Joints are like the body's hinges that allow you to move, and their condition greatly impacts your overall well-being. Luckily, you can do a few things every day to keep your joints healthy and moving well. In this article, we'll talk about six critical habits that can help you protect your joints and ensure you can stay active and move easily throughout your life. Whether you want to avoid joint issues or manage ones you already have, these habits can help keep your joints in good shape.
7 Habits for Maintaining Healthy Joints and Mobility
Eat a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is the best medicine for joint health, and it should be a priority for everyone. A balanced diet — including plenty of fruits and vegetables — can help prevent chronic conditions that lead to painful joints, such as arthritis.
The right nutrients are also vital for keeping bones and muscles strong, which can help reduce the risk of joint pain and stiffness as we age. A good place to start is by focusing on getting more whole, unprocessed foods and cutting back on processed foods, added sugars, and fatty, saturated, and trans fats.
Another critical nutrient is omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and plant oils. They can help reduce inflammation and keep the immune system strong, lowering your risk for joint pain. A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Foods that are rich in vitamin C can also benefit your joint health. Citrus fruits and leafy greens are good sources, as are red peppers and tomatoes. Vitamin C helps stimulate collagen, essential for developing new cartilage and bone tissue.
Cherries are also an excellent source of natural anti-inflammatory agents called anthocyanins. Try a glass of tart cherry juice or eat fresh cherries to benefit from this powerful nutrient. Pineapple also contains an enzyme called bromelain that may help lessen the pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Keeping your weight in check is crucial when looking after your joints and staying mobile. Carrying excess pounds can put extra pressure on your joints, especially in areas like your knees, hips, and lower back that bear the brunt of it. This added stress can speed up joint wear and tear, making conditions like osteoarthritis more likely.
Maintaining a healthy weight eases the burden on your joints, helping them work smoothly and without pain. If you need to, losing some weight can do wonders for your joints and improve your overall fitness and energy levels.
Eating a balanced diet and regular exercise are vital to keeping your weight in check. A mix of activities like walking, lifting weights, and stretching can help you shed those extra pounds while also making your joints stronger and more flexible. Prioritizing a healthy weight isn't just good for your joints; it's a step towards a more active and enjoyable life and supports your long-term joint health and mobility.
Exercise Regularly
The joints allow us to move, but they also take a lot of stress and abuse. A joint is a connection point between two bones and contains cartilage that cushions the bones' ends to absorb shock as they move over each other and synovial fluid that lubricates the joints for smooth movement. The cartilage and fluid are protected by ligaments and tendons attached to the bones by muscles.
Regular exercise is the best way to keep your joints healthy, but it is important to choose exercises that are safe for your body. A physical therapist or certified trainer can help you find strength and flexibility exercises appropriate for your age, fitness level, and current joint health. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, cycling, and using an elliptical machine, improves cardiovascular endurance and helps maintain a healthy weight, which reduces strain on the joints. Strength training, which can be done with hand weights, resistance bands, or your body weight, builds muscle to support the bones and joints.
Flexibility exercises, such as stretching your arms up high or rolling your shoulders forward and backward, can be done daily to lessen stiffness and put the joints through their full range of motion. Lastly, it is crucial to warm up and cool down with light exercise, like 10 minutes of walking, before you do any strenuous workouts.
Get Plenty of Sleep
A lack of sleep can cause a host of problems that impact your physical health and mental well-being. In addition to reducing your overall energy levels, sleep deprivation can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, and increased illness duration.
If you suffer from joint pain, getting enough sleep can be even harder. Getting plenty of rest will improve the symptoms and help you feel better during the day. Try going to bed at the same time each night and avoiding screens before sleeping. You should also focus on reducing stressors that can interfere with your sleep, such as drinking too much alcohol or eating foods high in salt and sugar.
Getting adequate sleep can also improve joint mobility. Many people with hypermobility disorders, including EDS and OA, find sleeping difficult because of throbbing hips and knees. Additionally, sleeping in a position that stacks your hips or knees can put too much pressure on these joints, leading to pain and stiffness during the day. A large U-shaped pillow, similar to the ones used by pregnant women, can reduce pressure on these joints and alleviate pain.
Taking good care of your joints will give you the mobility you need to run, jump, dance, play sports, and do all the other things you enjoy. A combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep can greatly impact your mobility as you age.
Proper Posture and Ergonomics
Keeping a straight back and arranging your workspace for comfort are essential for looking after your joints and ensuring you can move well. Sitting, standing, and going about your day affects your joint health more than you might think.
When you sit or stand up straight, you help spread the strain evenly across your joints, which decreases the chance of them getting damaged. Slumping or slouching, on the other hand, can strain your joints, particularly those in your neck, shoulders, and spine. So, it's a good idea to pay attention to how you're holding yourself, whether sitting at a desk, driving, or doing anything else.
Additionally, ergonomic practices, such as setting up a comfortable workspace and using tools and equipment that let your body stay natural, can help reduce the stress on your joints when doing everyday tasks. These habits make you more comfortable and keep your joints in good shape for the long haul so you can stay active and pain-free for years.
Avoid Inflammatory Foods
Inflammatory foods contribute to joint pain and swelling. Avoid highly processed and fried foods, trans-fats, and saturated fats (found in red meats and full-fat dairy products). Sugary foods can also promote inflammation and aggravate existing joint discomfort. Instead, satisfy a sweet tooth with healthy options like dark chocolate or fruit.
Limiting alcohol and smoking can also help protect your joints, as they both have been linked to increased inflammation in the body. Opting for a balanced diet rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber can also help to prevent inflammation and promote joint health. A diet with plenty of fish, fruits, and vegetables can benefit the most. A diet low in sodium can also be beneficial since too much salt can lead to water retention, which can cause inflammation.
Drink Plenty of Water
The first step is to drink plenty of water. Cartilage is made up of 80% water, and when you are dehydrated, the body pulls this water from cartilage and other areas to compensate. Drinking water not only hydrates the body, but it also helps to reduce inflammation and maintain healthy cartilage.
Water is also a key component of synovial fluid, the gel-like substance that lubricates and protects your joints. When dehydrated, the synovial fluid becomes thinner and less effective, leading to rough movement of the bones within the joints and pain.
Getting plenty of water and avoiding foods contributing to inflammation can help keep your joints healthy and mobile throughout the years. In addition, regular exercise and weight management can also promote joint health. Cardiovascular exercises like walking, swimming, cycling, and using an elliptical trainer and strength training can strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints, taking some of the pressure off them.
The Bottom Line
Joints are where two or more bones connect, such as the knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders. Joints support movement and allow us to do everything we love, including playing sports, hiking, swimming, lifting weights, and working in sedentary jobs. But joints aren't indestructible; they can wear down over time due to age-related musculoskeletal changes, such as decreased bone density and synovial fluid. Taking preventive steps to improve joint health and decrease pain can help us stay active later in life.
The best way to keep your joints healthy is through a balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper posture. Proper posture supports good alignment and helps with force transmission through the joints, preventing excessive stress. Getting enough exercise is also essential; low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, and yoga are great options that avoid extra joint pressure.
It's important to warm up and cool down before and after your workouts, especially if you have poor flexibility or a history of injury. Incorporating dynamic stretches that mimic the movements you'll be using during your workouts can help prepare your muscles and joints. It's also essential to use the right gear for your sport or activity and to wear supportive footwear.
Lastly, staying hydrated is essential for good joint health; adequate hydration supports lubrication and reduces joint stiffness. In addition to drinking water, consuming fruits, vegetables, and lean protein can also support joint health.
