Being active can keep your joints and hips healthy. It all starts with proper exercise. It may not prevent you from having health conditions, but it makes your body strong in your entire life.
Imagine being able to maintain your mobility and strength is a massive plus in enticing old age. All it takes is proper care and management of your hips and joints. Here are the things that you need to know about taking care of your hips and joints.
What is your Joint
Your body is a series of connected parts, and your joints are part of them. It serves to connect your bones. The structure itself allows you to move your body freely and bend both your knees and elbows. It also helps you wiggle your hips, turn your head, curl your back, and even wave your fingers.
There is a smooth tissue that embodies your joints. Synovium, cartilage, and lubricant build the synovial fluid cushion that prevents your joints from rubbing each other. However, because of old age, carrying too much weight, and injury, your cartilage is experiencing wear and tear. If this happens, it can cause arthritis that severely damages your joints.
The best way to take proper care of your joints and hips is to ensure that your bones, ligaments, and muscles are stable and robust.
Tips that can take good care of your Joints
Your joint is one of the essential parts of your body. It helps you move or do your chores. It also carries the weight of your body and serves as a force on your legs and hips. It is flexible, and without your joints – moving may be impossible.
Here are the tips that can help you shape your joints:
Manage your weight. Make sure that you watch your weight. Always check the ideal weight appropriate to your age and height because it puts little pressure on your joints. Remember that your joints like knees, back, and hips play an essential role in carrying your body weight. It is the reason why overweight people are suffering or having a hard time moving their bodies.
It is important to note that the higher your weight is, the greater the pressure allotted in your joints. Once you reduce your weight, or it is around your ideal weight, you can quickly minimize the potential problems on your back, hips, and knees. It also prevents you from getting joint injuries. According to research, every pound that you gain contributes four times to stress on your knees.
Regular and Proper Exercise. Maintaining the strength of your body comes with proper and regular exercise. It also helps you reduce your weight and maintain your figure. If you want to improve your heart, aerobic exercise is essential. It also enables you to reduce the swelling of your joints. Also, if your joints are bothering you, try practices that minimize the pounding of your joints. Instead of focusing on aerobic activities, pursue low-impact activities like biking or swimming.
The rule of thumb is to keep your body active. Do not let yourself be devoted to sitting all day around. Computer addicts, couch potatoes, and people who are glued in their position all day are vulnerable to joint pain. It would be best if you change your position often. Give your body a break, and stretch. Remember that less movement can lead to stiffness of your joints.
Develop your Muscle. Having strong muscles can help you support your body, especially your joints. If you do not have enough muscle strength, you put too much pressure on your joints. It stresses your back, hips, knees, and spine that focuses on supporting your body. Having weight-training activities and exercises can help you build your ligaments and muscles strong. In return, your joints will not carry all the burden.
You can also look for a trainer that can help you and assist you with the exercises. They can help you come up with an exercise plan that suits your body. They will also show you how to do those exercises. Remember, incorrectly doing the exercises can increase the tendency of getting an injury.
Know your Body Limits. You do not have unlimited stamina to go beyond your limit. Also, some exercises can be too challenging, especially if you are a beginner. Once you push yourself hard, it may trigger pain. Make sure that you go slow or within your range of ability. Going beyond can hurt yourself or lead to additional problems. Start with modifying your exercises to minimize the pain. You can ask a physical therapist, trainer, coach, or chiropractor to assist you with your modifications. There is also a huge possibility of muscle pain during your first half of exercise. It would be best if you evaluate your body limits. Also, know the difference between muscle-building pain and threatening pain.
Improve your posture. Remember that slouching has never been good for your joints. Good posture can help your body to maintain balance. It comes with sitting or standing straight to protect your knees and neck. It also enables you to guard your back muscles and hip joints.
Protecting your body comes with assisting your joints. Loving your body comes in protecting it from all kinds of danger. Minimize your risks by making sure that you are secured, especially in doing your usual tasks. For example, wearing a helmet, elbow and wrist pad, and knee pads are essential if you are doing risky activities or on the road. Even professionals encounter accidents, so make sure that you always wear safety gear and follow safety procedures. The kits can help you reduce the pressure and stress of your joints.
Balanced Diet. Eating healthy foods that are equipped with proper nutrients is the best for the joints. It helps your body build strong muscles and bones.
Calcium is essential for your bones. You can get it by eating kale, broccoli, milk, yogurt, and the like. If you do not like eating that food, you can ask your nutritionist to give you calcium supplements.
For building your muscles, you need proteins. The proteins that your body needs depends on your age, how active you are, and sex. You can get this by eating meats, beans, seafood, soy products, and the like.
Vitamin D is also essential in keeping your body in proper shape. It helps your body absorb and maintain calcium. A necessary healthy boost is also essential for you to keep your joints healthy. You can get this by having enough Vitamin C found in fruits.