How to take keep your joints healthy

27 Jan 2016

It’s the beginning of 2016 and many of us will have made a new year’s resolution to become more healthy, exercise more and lose weight. However according to a recent study, 72 per cent of Australians suffer from joint ailments.

In fact, 85 per cent admitted they fail to care for their joints, which can have a serious impact on their overall health later in life.

“Australians are under the false assumption that taking care of their health has everything to do with exercise, diet and hydration and little to do with the care of their joints”, says orthopaedic surgeon, Doron Sher, former Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Concord Hospital. 

Here are five top tips for keeping your joints healthy.

1. Don’t go too hard too fast

Often, new retirees have just finished a life working nine to five in the office and are keen to get more active and lose weight.

They may also be a bit overweight after working in a sedentary job from sitting down in front of the computer all day or eating out during meetings, which can be a recipe for exacerbating joint pain, says health and wellness expert, Kris Abbey.

“Retirees often have a lot more time on their hands. They do take on extra activities so often, they go too hard too quickly because they’ve now got more time for golf, surfing, or whatever activity that might be,” explains Kris.

“Rather than gradually building up their body to take on the onslaught of extra activity, they go too hard too fast and generally that’s when joint pain and an injury can set in.”

2. Before exercising, always warm up

Even if you do a gentle stretch beforehand, it’s important to spend the first five or 10 minutes warming up before you exercise to increase mobility around your joints, advises Kris. It’s a good way to loosen up your joints and get the blood flow happening so they’re ready to absorb the activity.

3. Enjoy a good diet

Not only does eating healthy keep your weight down, but it’s a good idea to choose the right food to help keep your joints in top-notch condition. As we age, our body functions start to decrease, but a great diet can help slow that process.

Consider looking for fruit and vegetables with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, such as berries, nuts, carrots, pumpkin and dark green leafy vegetables. Meanwhile, oily fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are also good for your joints.

You may also want to consider taking supplements, too.

4. Start gentle resistance training

Whether you’re lifting light weights or doing body weights, resistance training will help strengthen your muscles around the joints and keep them strong and secure, says Kris. Aqua aerobics is also a great form of exercise to do, too.

5. Listen to your body

“People generally don’t listen to their body. We get a niggle and ignore it and think it will go away. We power through it and rather than listening to our bodies and thinking, ‘I’ve got an issue, I should rest today or not do the same activity’, we choose to ignore it,” says Kris.

This can sometimes result into more serious issues and problems with your joints.