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November 24, 2020

Four ways to support your joints

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 10:11 pm

When our joints are functioning smoothly we barely give them a moment’s thought.

But if you’ve over-trained, under-stretched or slipped into a poor technique you can end up with aching shoulders, hips, knees or ankles, which can really sap physical activity of enjoyment.

The good news is, there are plenty of effective exercises that you can incorporate into your daily routine to keep your joints – and their surrounding muscles – supple and strong.

“Healthy joint cartilage allows us to function with less pain and able to have a better quality of life overall,” explains accredited exercise physiologist Richelle Street.

“Having strong bones and muscles goes hand-in hand with having healthy joints.”

Try adding some of these activities to your repertoire to reap the joint benefits.

1. Start walking

Greg Stark, exercise physiologist and director of Better Being, says it’s important to remember that effective movement doesn’t have to be exhausting or painful.

Start walking, he advises. “If you commit to walking for an hour every day then that’s great. The more we move, the better it is for our bones, muscles and joints.”

More of a runner? Try soft surface training, as just pounding the pavement can put a lot of stress on your ankles, knees and hips. “Try running on sand or grass, or even in water, which is fantastic for the joints,” says Street.

2. Do simple squats

Stark says squats are an excellent compound movement that work our quadriceps, glutes and calves, which help support our hip, knee and ankle joints.

“Squats require the strength to get up and down and the mobility to not overload through the knees or load too much through the back,” he explains.

The beauty is, they can be done anywhere around the house in-between other tasks.

“Hold onto a table or kitchen bench-top when squatting to help your body feel safer,” advises Stark.

Feeling more advanced? Try going hands-free into deep squats. “Get your bum back, trying to get as much depth as you can with your heels planted on the ground,” says Stark, warning you should avoid going up on your toes. “This means the ankle is not moving and there’s a lot of pressure through the knees.”

3. Get into warrior II pose

“Doing some mobility work will help to balance your body,” explains Stark. “The more mobile your hips are, the less pressure there is on your back and knees.”

He suggests a modified warrior II stance – but don’t worry; you don’t have to be a bendy yogi.

Start with your legs at hip-distance apart, then simply step one foot forward (as far as is comfortable) and slowly bend the front leg until you are in a gentle lunge with your back foot planted on the ground.

Hold onto a bench or table when you first begin and only step as far forward as feels comfortable, then focus on gently tilting your pelvis to open up the front of the hips.  “I have my in-laws doing this – and squats – every time they make a cup of tea to keep them mobile,” adds Stark.

Want something more athletic? A runner’s lunge is an effective way to open up your hips. “If you experience discomfort or struggle to get into the position, start with your back knee on the ground then progress to having your back knee off the ground,” says Stark. “Start with your hands on the ground and as you feel [stable] you can progress to [hands high in the air].”

4. Include a warm-up and cool-down

If you’re pressed for time, it can be tempting to start your workout the moment you close your front door or walk into the gym, but according to Street this can end in pain.

“A lot of injuries and joint pain happen when people don’t adequately build into exercise and don’t adequately cool down,” she says.

“Spend the first five minutes working into exercise – do some low impact movement and a few stretches to allow your body to adapt to a load.”

Need better moving joints? Choose Blackmores Joint Formula Advanced. Head to www.blackmores.com.au/products/joint-formula-advanced for more information.

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST, TALK TO YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

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