Today's blog will dive into one of the most discussed topics regarding the health of our bodies; our joints. If you are a person who works out, has ever played sports, or has dealt with an injury, the subject of your joint health has probably come up at some point. More than likely, that conversation went along the lines of how important it is to have healthy joints and the problems that come with unhealthy joints. We’ll get into how you achieve that to continue to live your best life.
First and foremost, as we get into the discussion of joint health, the question some may have is what an actual joint is. Our joints are where two or more bones in the body connect. Our joints consist of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bursa, meniscus, synovial membrane, and synovial fluid. That probably sounds like a lot, and it is, but each plays an important role in joint health, which we’ll discuss later. Now that you know what your joint is the info you came here for is how you keep them healthy.
Let’s start with one of the simpler ways to achieve this; stretching. Stretching signals to the body to send synovial fluid to jointed areas, keeping them “loose” protecting your cartilage and synovial membrane. Stretching also builds up the resistance of your tendons and ligaments with the possibility of elongating them. Another great thing you can add to your routine is resistance training. Resistance training can lead to thicker cartilage and denser bones. Using a variety of training such as plyometrics and isometrics can help strengthen your tendons. Now to be clear, overuse of weightlifting and exercising can lead to the opposite effect, so all of this should be done in moderation.
Last but not least is a clean diet. Being overweight can lead to more pressure on your joints, causing the possibility of wear and tear quicker than usual. There are foods like oranges that are packed with vitamin C that directly have a positive impact on joint health. Water intake can increase synovial fluid plus slow down inflammation. Our body is our temple, so what goes in affects us in every way.
We hope that this information can help you keep your joints healthy as long as possible, leading to a strong body. All it takes is a conscious decision to be more aware day by day to implement some of these things. Our goal at Fyzical remains the same and that is providing our community with information that can help them continue to live a full life!
