Osteoarthritis: 7 Tips To Take Care Of Your Joints

By Nupur

Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 19:30

Maintaining the health of your joints is important as they tend to deteriorate as you age and lead to a condition called osteoarthritis. Ageing leads to the loss of padding (cartilage between the bones) and your bones hurt when they rub against each other. Once the onset of arthritis starts, it doesn't stop and the worn-out cartilages can't be healed.

Osteoarthritis: Tips To Take Care Of Your Joints

The main symptom of osteoarthritis is pain. Other symptoms and signs include swollen joints, stiffness in joints, loss of range of motion and joint creaking. In this article, we will talk about various tips that will help you maintain your joint health and slow down the damage. Here are the tips you need to follow:

1. Maintain A Healthy Weight

The extra weight puts pressure on your joints which face wear and tear as you age. Maintaining a healthy weight will help in removing the unwanted pressure from your joints and aid in keeping them healthier. Maintaining a healthy BMI will aid in removing the extra burden from your joints which will aid in lowering the damage caused to your cartilage.

2. Workout Regularly

Did you know if you want to maintain your muscle health and keep it healthy you should stretch and stay active? A research has revealed that if you suffer from arthritis pain you should do aerobics as it will strengthen your muscles, improve your body's blood supply as well as the cartilage health. You can also do exercises like swimming and walking to benefit your joints, but avoid vigorous exercises as it can leave your joints injured.

3. Work On Building Stronger Muscles Around Your Joints

You should exercise and build muscles around your joints, these muscles will provide support to your joints and avoid it from getting injured compared to those joints which don't have strong muscles gripping them. Make sure you do the workout for building your muscles with the help of an experienced physical trainer.

4. Consume Anti-inflammatory Foods

Inflamed joints are painful, stiff, swollen, and you can also see redness around it. A natural way to keep joint aches at bay is by including anti-inflammatory foods in your diet. Include foods such as turmeric, ginger, tomatoes, walnuts, almonds, spinach, berries, fatty fishes, etc., in your diet.

5. Limit Your Sodium Intake

Make sure you don't eat too much salt as consuming salt in excess makes your bones weak and prone to fracture. Make sure you do include enough calcium-rich foods like milk and milk products in your diet as they are crucial for your bone health.

6. Massage Your Joints

When your joints become stiff they tend to ache and pain. There's a simple way to get rid of this agony, it's simply by massaging your joints regularly. Apply some body oil on your joints and gently massage them, it will make you feel relaxed and the pain will eventually lessen as the stiffness of your joint will go away. If the pain around your joints is too intense you should go to a professional masseur as well.

7. Keep Your Muscles Nourished

You should keep your muscles nourished by consuming foods which are rich in healthy fats. If you suffer from swelling in your joints, foods which are rich in healthy fats can aid in reducing it. Include foods like avocado, fatty fish, nuts, chia seeds, cheese, extra virgin olive oil, etc.

Just follow these simple tips and get rid of the joint pain and swelling naturally. In case of excess pain and swelling in your joint you can apply an ice pack, it will help in reducing the pain and puffiness.

Do Consult A Doctor If:

Your joint pain and swelling are accompanied by fever.
The reason behind the joint pain and swelling is unexplained.
If an injury led to swelling and joint pain.