Tips to Keep Joints Healthy

Whether you have arthritis or not, keeping your joints healthy is vital to maintaining a good quality of life so you can keep moving and doing the things you love. It’s never too early (or late) to improve your joint health, so if you’re looking for some tips you’re in the right place.

The first thing to remember is that it is normal to sometimes feel a little sore after exercise, especially if you haven't done any for some time. But this does not mean you are doing your body any harm. Regular exercise has been proven time and time again to be essential for those living with joint pain. It can help strength muscles to better support joints and also bring essential nutrients to joints to help the body better take care of them.

Secondly, it's important to know that exercise doesn't have to be joining a gym, running a marathon or lifting heavy weights. Anything that elevates your heart-rate even a little to begin with is good. The key is to find an exercise you enjoy doing, this way you'll happily do it more regulalry. Even going for a daily walk can be a great form of exercise and because it's low-impact it's unlikely to hurt your joints.

Some people find being part of an exercise group (or just going for a regular walk with a friend) can help keep them motivated. There are loads of walking groups, gardening clubs, dance classes and other options to keep active and make some new friends at the same time, so take a look at what’s going on in your local area!

Exercising in water can be particularly beneficial if your joint pain is bad as it is low-impact and the water can help support joints. You could join a swimming pool which often have classes or lookinto hydrotherapy in your area.

High impact exercises - like running - can be great cardio, but may seem a bit intense when you have arthritis. Low impact exercises are good for minimising impact across the surface of a joint, such as the impact of hitting the floor while running or jumping. Things like swimming, road or exercise cycling are great examples of low-impact.

High-impact exercise doesn't necessarily need to be avoided though. It's about finding what exercise works for you and how it might impact your joint pain. Try different things before finding an exercise you like and stick at it.

Weight play a key part in arthritis. Too much weight places additional pressure on weight-bearing joints. A study found that one lb of weight-loss lessens four lbs of pressure on the knees, per step.

If you want to lose a bit of weight, many people find a combination of healthy eating and more exercise helpful. Don’t feel that you have to cut out the foods you like (this can actually be really counterproductive and may lead to overeating in the long term) or stress your body out with a 7-day-a-week exercise regime, but making some small changes can make a big difference. If you’re struggling with your weight, speak to a doctor who will be able to help you work on a weight loss plan. Many people have found drug-free FlexiSEQ takes the edge off their joint pain and allows them to get moving.

Fad diets may promise quick results, but they are often unpleasant, hard to maintain and unhealthy. Instead, opt for small, healthy changes that you can sustain without feeling like you’re missing out. Also, don’t be too hard on yourself. Eating a piece of cake or going out to dinner isn’t going to ruin anything, as long as the majority of your diet is varied and healthy.

It's important to remember that diet can 'cure' arthritis. The key is to strive for a healthy body weight and eat things that are proven to help with joint pain and arthritis. We've created a host of recipes packed with these things so why not try one of those and add it into you cooking routine.

If you’re interested in improving your posture, consider trying some yoga, pilates or simple stretches. Some people really enjoy going to classes, but you can also try watching YouTube videos or downloading an app like Down Dog.

How do you keep your joints healthy? Let us know on Facebook!