8 Tips to Protect Your Joints While Exercising
Severe joint pain is something over 15 million people in the U.S. deal with on a daily basis. While some joint pain is caused by chronic conditions, such as arthritis, it can also be a result of certain activities.
One of the main causes of severe joint pain today is strenuous exercises. Don’t worry though, this doesn’t mean you have to stop working out altogether. There are several tips you can use to help protect your joints while exercising and prevent aches and pains.
If you are ready to learn what those tips are, keep reading.
1. Choose Activities That Are Low Impact
If you are working on helping your joints, it’s a good idea to select the right type of aerobic exercise, range of motion movements, and strength training. Activities and exercises that are lower impact are easier on the body, help reduce the risk of injury, and put less stress on your body’s joints.
Some examples of low impact activities include walking, yoga, cycling, and swimming. These are much more accommodating for individuals who suffer from joint pain or who want to avoid it in the the future.
2. Consider Cross Training
If you mix up your routine with several forms of exercise, you can minimize the impact on certain parts of your body. With cross training, your body has the opportunity to train various muscle groups by doing different movements. This method of training still helps to improve your performance and strength.
An added benefit offered by cross training is that it can help you remain engaged while you are active, keeping you from getting bored.
3. Take Rest Days
When you give your muscles a break, it can help strengthen and repair them. If you overwork your body, it increases the possibility of an injury. It’s a good idea to schedule rest days in your weekly routine. Your body needs time to recuperate, and that’s what rest days provide.
4. Always Warm Up
It’s absolutely essential to always warm up before working out. A gentle warmup session, such as taking a walk, can help to get your muscles warm and prepare them for the exercise you are about to do. Warm muscles are much more flexible too. This helps to reduce the strain they experience during a workout.
5. Don’t Overdo It
If you are feeling any type of pain or if you have long periods of pain after working out, then it’s extremely likely you are overdoing it. While mild pain should be normal if you aren’t used to working out, the pain should not be debilitating. You need to keep sure your exertion level is relative to your fitness level.
6. Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is crucial for your overall health. This includes your joints. You need to make sure you are drinking enough water when you exercise. The more you sweat, the more you need to replenish your body with water.
7. Wear the Right Fitness Gear
Wearing the proper type of fitness attire for the sport being done ensures the proper range of motion, which provides healthy joint movement. You should not wear any type of clothing that’s going to restrict your movement, as this is going to increase joint pain.
8. Always Cool Down
You need to take time to reduce your exertion toward the end of your routine. This allows your body to cool down. While it may be tempting to skip the cool down – resist the temptation for better joint health.
Maintain good joint health, prevent joint pain from occurring, and reduce your aches by following the above tips.
