There are many things that can cause joint pain. Whether it be through aging, dieting, too little exercise or even too much exercise, joint pain is experience by a large portion of the population. The degrees of joint pain may vary from mild to debilitating. It can occur in shoulders, knees, elbows, and any other part of the body that bends or contains joints. However, no matter the level or location of joint pain, it is always a nuisance. Experiencing it frustrating for many people as it limits how active our lives can be. It decreases our quality of work and play.
Since many people experience joint pain, it is important to know what steps to take to lessen the suffering. There are several ways to relax the joints, thus improving quality of life. These methods include both physical activity and proper dieting. Though it may not rid one of all joint pain, it should help decrease the amount of pain one may experience on their joints.
Reduce Joint Pain through Exercise
While exercising too vigorously with improper form can cause unnecessary stress on your joints and ultimately lead to arthritis and other forms of joint pain, proper exercise can be very beneficial to your body. This may come as a surprise to many that find their joint pain to be the culprit of their lack of exercise. After all, doctors have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis often point to this as a reason for not working out. However, there is also plenty of evidence that shows regular exercise can truly help someone suffering from such pain.
Walking
Walking is something that seems very simple. Perhaps that is why there aren’t many people that do it. They don’t view walking as exercise and either forget or ignore a brisk morning walk or a nightly stroll. However, walking is one of the most beneficial things someone to do for their body. Walking puts minimal stress on the joints. But, it is an active motion. Walking for about 30 minutes a day is great for your heart. Since it is a great way to burn calories, weight loss can occur. As one loses weight, their joints don’t have to work as hard to support their body. A gym membership isn’t needed for walking. And, it is something that nearly everyone has the physical capability to do.
Weight Training
People with joint pain often rule weight lifting out of their list of physical activities. Some even cite it as the cause of their joint pain. However, most people that experience joint pain are suffering due to poor form or using too much weight. It is important to research how to properly perform certain exercises, particularly squats and cleans. As these exercises are done properly, muscles will develop and support joints. If weight training is added to an exercise regimen, sets of 12 or above is recommended. Again, doing too much weight can damage joints. Knowing what your limits are and proper form are key to avoiding injury and further joint pain.
Improved Posture
Posture may not necessarily be considered an exercise, but it can require effort. Good posture can help with back pain. It can help with core strength. It improves breathing. And, it also improves joint pain. If someone slouches or slumps, they will likely experience some joint pain. Good posture allows for oxygen to get to the muscles and bones. As this happens, those parts of the body will become healthier and less painful. Like walking, it is seemingly simple, but the benefits go a long way.
Dieting to Reduce Joint Pain
As with anything that involves improving physical comfort, a proper diet is necessary to improve joint pain. There are things that should obviously be avoided, such as foods high and sugar and trans fat. Soda and candy shouldn’t be consumed when one is trying to avoid joint pain. Burgers and French fries should be eaten only in moderation. The list continues on what shouldn’t be consumed. But, there are also other foods that can be eaten to help improve joint health.
Magnesium
There is a wide range of benefits that come with increasing one’s magnesium intake. It is great for the heart and nerve endings. However, for those with joint pain, it should be very comforting to know that magnesium can also help with joints. As it improves bone and muscle health, less stress is placed on the joints. It also helps the joints recover if they have just been used strenuously. Magnesium is found naturally in spinach and legumes, but it also can be taken through supplements and oils.
Calcium
Many people can recall their mother forcing them to eat their greens. And, though broccoli and spinach may not be the tastiest foods, these mothers really are helping their children by forcing leafy green consumption. These foods contain calcium which can be very beneficial to the bones and muscle development. As bone health improves, so will joint health. When joint health improves, joint pain decreases. Other forms of can be found in almonds and dairy products. There are also supplement capsules that contain calcium if you feel that your calcium intake still isn’t enough.
Turmeric & Ginger Tea
Both turmeric and ginger are anti-inflammatories. When they are put together with a little bit of honey and water, they make a delicious and useful tea. Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant. This helps those with arthritis and those that are simply suffering from joint pain in general. As the levels of joint inflammation are lowered, joint pain should decrease.
As with anything, proper dieting and physical activity are important to joint health. Not exercising enough or doing too much can be highly detrimental to your joints. Additionally, poor dieting choices can also have a profound impact on your joint health. The key to avoiding joint pain is to make sure you are getting just the right amount of exercise while maintaining a diet that is good for your bone and muscle development.
https://draxe.com/natural-remedies-for-bone-and-joint-pain/
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/joint-pain
http://everydayroots.com/arthritis-remedies