How to maintain healthy joints — experts share 5 easy tips

fitness

by Adriana Diaz

Don't be incoherent.

When your joints are healthy, you can play sports, exercise, and continue your daily activities. Unfortunately, about 1 in 5 American adults has been diagnosed by a doctor with arthritis, which is swelling of one or more joints.

To avoid pain and restrictions on movement and flexibility, experts shared with the Guardian five simple tips for maintaining healthy joints as you age.

Strengthen muscle strength throughout the body

Liam Goode, a London-based physiotherapist, recommends doing a variety of full-body strength training exercises, such as Pilates and yoga, to work all your muscles and joints, rather than overworking specific muscles and joints. is recommended.

“Find a starting point by regularly aiming to move your joints through the full range of motion possible, such as squatting down and bringing your butt as close to the ground as possible,” Good told the Guardian.

“Eventually, if the cartilage surrounding the joints doesn't move enough, it doesn't get enough blood flow and becomes dry and cracked,” he continues, explaining the benefits of a yoga flow routine for people in their 20s. advertised its benefits.

Move every 20-30 minutes

“Ideally, you should try to step away from your workstation every 20 to 30 minutes during your working day, especially if you spend most of the day sitting,” osteopath John Mallinder told the Guardian. .

He advises stepping away from your desk, even if it's just to take a walk, make a cup of coffee, or chat with colleagues.

“Breaking up your routine will help you become more aware of your posture when you sit down again and avoid the negative effects of being in the same position for long periods of time,” he said.

An “exercise snack” (about 1-2 minutes of physical activity) can make a difference to your health.

strengthen shoulders

“The shoulder is inherently the most unstable joint in the body and relies heavily on muscle structure to provide support and stability,” said Anju Jaggi, director of clinical care at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital. explains.

Moving your arms frequently can help strengthen your shoulder joints, as can your grip strength.

“Building your grip strength will have a knock-on effect in helping your shoulders,” says Jaggi.

Grasping your hands tightly and opening your fingers as far as possible 10 to 15 times a day is a simple and effective move to improve your grip strength.

Please wear appropriate shoes

Some experts claim that everyone should wear solid, wide-soled sneakers on every occasion.

“The best shoes are ones with good structure and lace-ups. Flat feet need arch support for stability, and high-arch feet need more neutral running.” You need shoes,” foot and ankle orthopedic consultant Nick Cullen told the Guardian.

For heel-loving fashionistas, Karen recommends opting for shorter heels or wedges to distribute pressure on the ball of the foot.

lean forward if necessary

“Everyone's body is different, so there is no truly neutral position when it comes to posture,” says musculoskeletal physiotherapist Aoife O'Meara.

O'Meara explained that spending all day sitting upright can cause the muscles in your back and core to become overworked and eventually become painful.

To avoid discomfort, you should change your position every 30 to 40 minutes when sitting.

“There's no evidence that bending over while moving regularly is harmful, so it's safe to do so,” O'Meara says.