28/07/2022
Today is Osteoathritis Awareness Day! Let us look at protecting your joints:
- FACT! Exercise does not wear out joints, but rather strengthens and protects them.
- Always warm-up and cool down when engaging in physical activity - Skipping your warm-up can put your joints at a higher risk of strain and overloading on your muscles and joints, putting them at risk for injury.
- Listen to your body’s cues - Joint pain after exercise is telling you there is something wrong (we suggest then to consult with a Biokineticist to prescribe an individualised program).
- Balancing low-impact exercises with your higher impact activities to strengthen the muscles that help protect your joints.
- Increase the flexibility of your joints by warming and stretching before and after exercise - When a joint is stiff, it can alter the stresses seen during activities and it’s more prone to swelling, which can weaken the muscles protecting the joint.
- Plan to quit smoking - Smoking and to***co use are risk factors for cardiovascular problems to cancer and can hamper your joints.
- Replace energy drinks and soda with water - Water makes up about 80 percent of your body’s cartilage (the flexible, connective tissue that cushions your joints).
- Don’t let extra weight overtax your joints
- Wear the right shoes - Regardless of the activity, shoes should provide cushioning, stability, and comfort while being flexible.
Find a Biokineticist on www.biokineticssa.org.za to assist you in preventing or treating osteoarthritic conditions.
