How to keep your joints healthy as you age
Take care of your joints
A human body has different kinds of bones, which are connected with each other at junctions called joints. These joints support movement and help to maintain stability of the body. They make it easier for us to carry our daily functions like moving, running, jumping, twisting and turning.
But with age, the joints go through normal wearing and tearing. They become stiffer and less flexible due to reduction in the amount of lubricating fluid inside the joints. This increases the risk of injury and knee pain. For the joints to remain healthier later in life, it is important to take precautionary measures right from the beginning.
Ways to keep your joints healthy
There are three ways to keep your bones healthy- keep moving, perform the right kinds of exercise to reduce the load on the joints, and strengthen the core muscles. A perfect mix of all three can help to make your joints stronger and healthy. Here we have listed 4 types of exercises that are considered good for joint health.
Strength training
Strength
training keeps the muscles around the joints strong, helping them to
maintain the stability of the joints. It can also help to decrease joint
pain. Start with picking up low loads and then gradually increase the
weight. Make sure your form is correct to avoid muscle strain.
Try sports
Low impact sports like cycling and swimming are good for joint health. Even playing tennis and basketball can help to strengthen your joint muscles. These exercises do not put much stress on the joints and are also good for your heart health. Playing sports is an excellent way to add variety in your routine.
Cardio exercises
Cardio
exercises are not good for the heart and increasing your lung capacity,
but it is also good for your bones. When focusing on joint health,
low-impact cardio exercises like jogging and running are considered
better. High-impact exercises like sprinting and skipping rope can put
pressure on joints and may cause a problem for those already suffering
from joint problems.
Stretching
Most people considered stretching as a method to warm-up and cool down, but stretching is much more than that. If you do not intend to do any exercises, then stretching exercises are enough to maintain your joint health. Stretching helps to increase flexibility and loosen the stiff muscle around joints, thereby increasing the range of motion.