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Monday, February 15, 2016

8 Unhealthy Habits That Worsen Joint Pain


They say that exercise has many health benefits to improve your heart and even boost weight loss. Though, it does come with a high risk of joint injuries. Many physical activities actually put you a lot of stress on your joints and ultimately end up injuring yourself when not fully prepared. However, this should not prevent you from daily exercise and training.

Here are 3 joint pain facts that many aren’t aware of:
1. Joint Pain does not mean you have arthritis
Most often, people tend to associate having joint pain with arthritis. Although there are various kinds of arthritis, this does not necessarily mean that you carry this condition just by the sole fact that you have joint pain. This can be caused from an injury to the joint from tissue damage.

2. Dry Weather Helps Relieve Joint Pain
According to recent joint pain facts, warm weather conditions actually help to reduce uncomfortable effects of joint pain and increase relief. During humid weather, patients with arthritis are actually said to feel uncertain levels of stress and pressure on their joints which cause more pain. However, dry and warm weather minimizes pressure on the joints – easing the pain.

3. Popping Knuckles Increases Chance of Arthritis
Cracking or popping your knuckles is said to be part of having arthritis. But the truth is, popping your knuckles does not actually cause any sort of arthritis and therefore not a major cause of having joint pain.

Here are 8 Unhealthy Habits That Worsen Joint Pain
Not Strength-Training
Strength training is the ultimate protection as it helps strengthen and build support in the muscles around the joints. You can leave weights or use your own body weight for resistance. Try yoga and Pilates for a great body weight exercise. Make sure to start a strength training routine at least 3 times a week.

Intense Exercises –Overdoing It
Before starting a new workout plan, make sure to always start slowly and pay attention to how your joints and body responds to these exercises. If you start to feel sharp pains and increased soreness for more than a few hours after, this means it’s a sign that you are overdoing it and need to slow down.

Poor Diet
Since arthritis is one of the major causes of joint pain, it is important to have a healthy diet habit in order to reduce the chance of developing arthritis and boost your overall well-being.

Extra Weight Gain
The more you weight, the more pressure you joints have to endure. Excessive weight uses up your cartilage which is used as a shock absorber to your joints. To ease on the load of your joints, consider a proper diet and workout plan to help you reach a maintainable healthy body weight.

Not Moving Enough
Everyone needs to move around more. We don’t mean a good hour of exercise but also not to sit for long periods of time. Staying in the same position for hours at a time may put a strain on your joints and cartilage as well as tire your muscles. This is because of the low blood flow in these areas when you don’t move enough. If you’re at a job where you are forced to sit down at a computer, make sure to stretch and move around every 10-15 minutes or so to keep your blood flowing.

Carrying too-heavy loads
Carrying a backpack or purse that is way too heavy can alter your body’s posture and effect the way you walk. This will also cause a strain in your muscles and joints and even compress delicate nerves. Make sure never to carry a bag with more than 5% of your body weight. For example: If you weigh 140 pounds, make 6-7 pounds your maximum limit.

Skipping Vitamin D and Calcium
Calcium and vitamin D are great for building strong bones. Go for good sources of Vitamin that can be found in salmon, drinks and cereals that are fortified with vitamin D. For calcium, try low-fat and non-fat dairy products like soy or almond milk. If you still feel like you are not getting enough vitamins and calcium, check with your doctor and try some of the top rated joint pain supplements and vitamins.

Smoking 
If you are an avid smoker or use tobacco products, try to quit. Nicotine has the power to constrict tiny blood vessels that work to supply blood to your joints, and especially to the disks in your spine. Those who smoke or even chew tobacco are at an extremely high risk of developing spine and joint problems, even as early as their late 20s.

Joint pain can be caused by various factors that include underlying health issues as well as joint injuries. These unhealthy habits that many of us have, come from various other habits and activities which we may think help prevent injuries but increase the conditions of already existing injuries. It is important to properly prepare yourself before you join vigorous activities and immediately stop yourself from unhealthy lifestyle habits.

References

http://community.gbtribune.com/blogs/detail/11821/
http://www.medicalmingle.com/daisygrace/blog/2016/02/09/what_is_your_new_year_resolution_for_joint_pain

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