Joint Health and What You Can Do to Help Strengthen Your Body

According to the Center for Disease
Control, about 54
million Americans suffer from arthritis. The condition
causes inflammation in the joints which can lead to pain and
stiffness. For some people, the pain from arthritis is constant.
Others experience flare-ups on occasion, while others tend to get
better or worse depending on external factors, like the weather.
Unfortunately, arthritis often gets worse as you age.

But it’s not the only cause for joint
pain, so it’s no wonder why so many people are constantly looking
to find relief. One way to do that is to focus on general joint
health and strengthening your body. Exercise is no longer just about
looking fit or conforming to certain physical standards.

For those with joint pain, it’s about
becoming stronger and fighting off chronic pain. Weight loss can
still be an important aspect of working out. The heavier you are, the
more strain you put on your joints. When you lose
weight, you can automatically start to get rid of some
of that pain.

What else can you do to strengthen your
body and fight back against joint pain safely? It starts with knowing
what might be behind your pain. If there is an underlying medical
condition, finding the best treatment should be your first step. Once
you have a clearer picture of what’s causing your joint pain, you
can develop an exercise plan that works for you and helps you to feel
stronger.

What Causes Joint Pain?

Though arthritis is often the first
thing people associate with joint pain, there are plenty of other
potential causes. Some are more manageable than others. In fact,
overexerting yourself with exercise can contribute to joint pain.
Heavy physical activity can cause pressure to build up in the joints,
so it can cause pain with every step. Alternatively, living a
sedentary lifestyle can cause joint issues, too. It’s all about
finding a healthy balance to keep your body strong and your joints
well-protected.

But there are certain diseases and
health conditions that can contribute to joint pain, too:

• Gout
• Lupus
• Bursitis
• Influenza
• Mumps
• Tendinitis
• Fibromyalgia
• Osteoporosis
• Rickets

If you’re experiencing joint pain
along with other unusual symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, hair
loss, anxiety or depression, or constipation, you might want to talk
to your doctor about testing
your thyroid. Hypothyroidism can cause all of those
issues, and medication is often needed to find any kind of relief.

In fact, medication is often needed for
many of these possible underlying conditions. They all have different
symptoms associated with them, too. If joint pain isn’t necessarily
your main problem, but it feels like just one of many symptoms,
there’s a good chance something more serious could be going on
within your body, and it’s important to get diagnosed as soon as
possible.

Temporary Solutions for Relief

Your main goal in getting rid of joint
pain should be to focus on a long-term solution. If your pain is
caused by an underlying illness, seeking out treatment for that
condition is the best thing you can do to manage your symptoms. But
sometimes the pain can be so bad that it’s necessary to find
temporary relief just to get through the day.

The good news? You don’t have to live
in constant pain. There are several safe and effective ways to manage
joint pain at home on the days where it feels unbearable. Try a few
of the following to ease your pain:

• Apply heating pads to your aching
  joints
• Take a hot bath or shower
• Massage the joints
• Use turmeric or other
  anti-inflammatory ingredients in your cooking
• Icing your joints
• Taking over-the-counter medication
  like ibuprofen
• Utilizing the anti-inflammatory
  properties of CBD
  oil

You can continue to do these things
frequently throughout your journey to strengthen your body. It takes
time to become stronger, build muscle, and focus on your joint
health. In the meantime, you can find some temporary relief with
these solutions, so you can continue on your exercise journey with
less pain and discomfort.

Strengthening Your Body and Improving Joint Health Over Time

So how can strengthening your body
actually improve your joint health? When you exercise correctly, and
regularly, you’ll lose weight, build muscle, and strengthen the
ligaments and tendons that surround the joints. In turn, those things
actually end up protecting your joints from pressure, so they’re
less likely to hurt.

According to the Arthritis
Foundation, there is also a waste removal process and
a replenishing process that occurs when you exercise. A process
called autophagy removes damaged cells within the joints. Then,
because exercise increases blood flow and circulation, your joints
receive more oxygen and nutrients to help repair them and keep them
strong.

Some of the best exercises for joint
health are:

• Stretching/range-of-motion
  exercises
• Strength training
• Walking
• Cycling
• Swimming

To protect your joints while
exercising, it’s important not to overdo it. Go at a slower pace,
especially if you haven’t exercised in a while. Keep the impact
low, and ice your joints afterward to prevent swelling.

Exercises to Avoid When You Have Joint Pain

While working out can help to
strengthen your body and improve your joint health, there are certain
exercises that can actually be detrimental to your joints and cause
even more pain.

Vigorous exercises will be the hardest
on the joints, and they
can even be dangerous and lead to permanent pain.
Avoid things like jumping rope or running on hard surfaces. Sports
like tennis, soccer, or basketball can also be extremely hard on your
joints.

Think about more fluid exercises when
you’re working out for joint health. In doing so, not only will
your body get stronger, but you can start building up your endurance
and improving your joint health, so you can work your way up to more
vigorous exercises. If you have fitness or strength goals in mind,
don’t be afraid to start from scratch. It takes time, patience, and
a lot of effort, but strengthening your body is one of the best ways
to find relief for your joints.