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Exercise and Joint Health

So most of us believe that the more we work out, the more good we are doing for our bodies.  While this may be true the majority of the time, you have to monitor your exercise routine so that you avoid joint injury.  Unwanted injuries can interrupt your workout routine and can cause long term damage.

Stretching
We were all taught how to stretch, but do we all do it?  It is easy to get to the gym and jump right into a workout with out doing a pre-workout warm up.  But this habit can be dangerous.  Make sure you do some light jogging in place or jumping jacks to warm up your muscles before you stretch since you do not want to stretch cold muscles.  Stretch all of the major muscle groups, even if you do not plan on exercising them.  This will prevent any injuries.  When you are finished with your workout, make sure you do some cool down stretching as well.  This will keep your muscles from locking up as your body cools down.

Low-Impact Exercises
New studies have found that excessive physical activity for middle aged adults can contribute to the development of arthritis.  This doesn't mean abandon your workout, but you may have to adjust the types of exercises you do as you get older.  Low-impact exercises include swimming, biking, walking, yoga, and pilates are all great ways to exercise without causing damage to your joints, ligaments, and cartilage.  Protecting your joints will contribute to your longevity and the effectiveness of your workout routine.  

Supplements
There are also great supplements that you can take to maintain great joint health.  Glucosamine and chondroitin can protect against the cartilage damage caused by osteoarthritis, often called wear and tear arthritis.  Glucosamine is said to repair cartilage while chondroitin is said to make your cartilage more resilient.  Taking these in conjunction with a multivitamin will provide the vitamins you need to keep your body ready to exercise.

Recovery Shakes
Drinking a recovery shake or post-workout drink can also help keep your muscles and joints healthy after a hard workout.  Many recovery shakes contain protein and amino acids that help repair muscles after you workout.  This can also contribute to joint health as stronger, more stable muscles can reduce the strain on your joints. 

Footwear
The types of shoes you wear when exercising also play a role in the shock impact that travels through your feet, to your joints, and even to your back.  Wearing thick socks and supportive shoes can help absorb some of the shock from low and high impact exercises and can reduce the wear and tear on your joints.  You can also purchase shoe insteps that are designed to absorb some of the shock when you exercise.  There are insteps that are specifically for runners and can improve joint and feet pain if worn during exercising.

 Image: © Nevit Dilmen found at Wikimedia commons

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