How To Strengthen Your Joints

Strong joints have a huge impact on your overall health.

Here’s how to strengthen your joints to prevent injury and improve movement.

 

From creaking and popping to stiffness and pain, joint complaints are an expected part of getting older. But just because these symptoms are common doesn’t mean they are natural.

When we feel pain and discomfort, we typically take it as a sign to rest the affected area. While this may relieve pain temporarily, it’s actually doing more harm in the long run.

If you want to retain the use of your joints, regular use is the key. (As the saying goes, “use it or lose it!”) In this article, we’ll talk about how to strengthen your joints so you can experience painless, fluid movement as long as possible.

What Are “Strong Joints”?

You may have heard from your doctor or personal trainer that you need to focus on strengthening your joints. But what does that mean?

There is a lot more to your joints than just bones. What we refer to as a joint is actually a complex combination of bone, muscle, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues, all of which work together when you swing your arm, bend your knee, or grasp an object.

So, what does a “strong joint” look like?

• Increased Bone Density – Just like your muscles, your bones can atrophy if they are not used. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance training, however, can slow bone loss and increase bone density.
• Muscle Strength – The muscles around your joints not only allow you to move, they help hold the bones in place as well as absorb shock.
• Lubricated Joints – Regular, low-impact exercise also helps stimulate the production of synovial fluid, the slippery substance that reduces friction in your joints.
• Improved Flexibility – A healthy joint can take advantage of its full range of motion. The more flexibility you have in your tendons, ligaments, and muscles, the better you will be able to perform your normal activities.
• Improved Circulation – Exercise doesn’t just get your heart pumping and your blood moving, it actually creates new blood vessels to oxygenate your body more efficiently.

Keeping your joints healthy leads to a reduced risk of joint injuries, less pain, improved athletic performance, and reduced risk of joint degeneration.

Exercises To Strengthen Joints

Most people use exercise as a way to strengthen muscles, but regular physical activity has a marked impact on your joints as a whole.

The good news is that any exercise will strengthen the joints you use to perform it, so don’t get too caught up on finding the “perfect” routine. Rather, focus on the three main types of exercise.

• Strength Training: Strength training can include weight lifting, but it doesn’t have to. You can get the same benefits through body weight exercises, such as squats, lunges, and sit-ups.
• Cardio: If you’re just starting out with an exercise routine, low-impact cardio is much easier on your joints. Try yoga, pilates, or swimming.
• Stretching: Stretching is an important part of keeping your joints healthy so you can perform your daily activities. Try stretching both before and after a workout or even on its own a few days a week.

As with any exercise, consistency is key. Aim for 150 minutes a week (or 20 minutes a day), but if this is too much for you, you can work up to this amount.

Strengthen Your Joints With Chiropractic Care

In addition to exercising, getting the right nutrients, and taking joint supplements, chiropractic care is another option for keeping your hips, knees, and spine in proper working order.

If your joints are misaligned, any exercise might be difficult (or downright painful). By making sure your joints are in their proper position, your chiropractor can ensure that your body keeps moving the way it’s designed to move.

Chiropractic adjustments work by restoring your joints—bones, muscles, nerves, and soft tissues—to their correct position in relation to each other. Your muscles are not overly stretched, your nerves are not pinched, and your bones can move fluidly against each other.

Exercise is great (and necessary), but it needs to rest on a solid foundation. Chiropractic treatments allow you to maximize the results of your exercise routine and protect your joint health.

 

Conclusion

Being able to move freely well into your Golden Years depends on having strong, healthy joints. Whether you’re hoping to prevent degenerative disc disease or simply want to get through your day free of joint pain, exercise and chiropractic care will go a long way.

At Oviedo Chiropractic, our patients’ quality of life is our top priority. Through manual adjustments, medical massage, and a variety of other treatment methods, our friendly staff can help reduce pain without the harmful side effects of medications or surgery.

Schedule an appointment today to get started.