How to stay active when suffering from joint pain

The human body is a perfect puzzle, with the joints forming connections between the bones allowing you to move seamlessly. However, if any damage or injury occurs to these connections, you experience pain.

Some people experience stiff joints in the morning upon waking up. Whereas some experience pain as they go about their regular activities during the day. Joint pain is uncomfortable, stressful, and irritating. It can even impact the overall quality of life.

So how do we address this issue? Be active!

Staying active is crucial as it has numerous benefits

Reckon a squeaking door in dire need of oiling? Once oiled, it works without making noise. Similarly, the bones, without a lubricant (cartilage), rub against each other, giving rise to pain when moved. But with regular activity, the cartilages are preserved, and bone is supported, which decreases the stiffness and pain.
Below are a few reasons why you should be active:

Improves strength of the muscle

First and foremost, staying active will help reduce joint pain. This might sound counterintuitive to some, as joint pain is associated with movement. But simple actions such as light stretching or exercises will strengthen the muscles around the joint, giving it more support.
This muscular strength will help you stay active, leading to numerous other benefits.

Improves balance

Mind and body awareness exercises such as yoga help control the body better. This is due to better posture and coordination of the body. In addition, with repetitive stretching movements improve the agility of the muscles and joints, allowing you to maintain your balance and move without aches.

Aids in weight loss

Staying active will help you are burning more calories than before. This, along with a proper diet, is the best way to achieve healthy weight loss. And even the slightest weight loss will have positive health outcomes. Easing joint pain is just one of them.

Helps maintain better overall health

Being active helps in weight loss, allowing your body to stay in top condition. In addition, a healthier body has a lower risk of developing lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
We have curated a list of seven activities to help you stay active without over-stressing your joints.

7 Ways to stay active even when suffering from joint pain

You might think that exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness, but this is not true! In contrast, lack of exercise does this. Below are some activities that can help you feel better.

Swimming

Swimming is the least painful of all exercises as it offers your joints mobility without putting pressure on them.
When you get into a swimming pool, the water pushes your body against gravity, making you weigh less. Because of less weight, the impact on the joints decreases when you do any movement. Thus allowing you to be more active without experiencing pain.

Water aerobics

Water aerobics means exercising while being submerged chest-deep in a pool. This activity, too, relies on the natural buoyancy of water. And the low-impact body movements help build muscles and improve mobility and overall health. Water aerobics is great as you can efficiently perform all your gym activities like squats, jumps, and kicks without experiencing pain.

Yoga or Pilates

Yoga and pilates are different forms of exercise yet quite similar. They both prevent injury by building core strength while perfecting your posture and improving your flexibility. The advantage of performing yoga or pilates is that you can start with low-intensity workouts, and as the muscles become more flexible, you can increase the intensity.
Ensure to keep your instructor informed regarding your condition to avoid movements that can trigger or aggravate the pain.

Strength training

Strength training works wonders for everyone, people with joint pain included! Since each strength training exercise focuses on particular muscle groups, the areas around the affected joints grow stronger and improve in function. Stronger muscles help to support and protect the joints while easing the pain and reducing the stiffness.
Remember, if any movement causes significant pain, stop doing it!

Recumbent ellipticals and bikes

Recumbent bikes and elliptical machines provide low-impact workouts that are gentle on the joints. This is because you do the workout while seated in a recline position. The recline position allows better body weight distribution, leading to minimal pressure on the joints.
Recumbent elliptical machines are a great option as they simultaneously work on the upper and lower body muscles.

Chair-based workouts

This is an extension of the recumbent machines which we just discussed. If you do not have access to a fancy machine, you can use a chair you have at home and do a workout. You can even use dumbbells and resistance bands to make the workout more challenging.

Slow-paced walking

Slow-paced walking is super easy on sore joints and helps keep the muscles and joints flexible. Also, it is the safest bet when you do not know how to swim as it requires no special training. However, make sure to walk on a levelled surface to avoid any unwanted jerks to the joints.

Conclusion

What works for one person may not help another. So, it is important to find the exercise that works for you. And do it regularly. You will slowly but surely see improvement in your joint pain and muscle strength. In addition, you can use low sodium protein powders to help build muscles while maintaining your daily electrolyte balance.
Consult a qualified therapist or doctor before beginning any new workout regime.