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To Prevent Injury, Train Your Tendons

Any place where two bones meet and move — knees, elbows, hips — could be considered a joint. As you age, the fluid in joints decreases, protective cartilage thins out and you might feel stiff and “creaky” or even suffer from osteoarthritis. For many years, experts assumed that too much movement damaged joints. Running will ruin your knees, the theory went. The truth is that joints love movement, so long as it is moderate. However, when you spend too much time on one activity, say riding a Peloton, you’re using only one plane of motion. To restore your joints, expand the variety of motions you move them through.

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Articles of Interest

Five ways to look after your joints

It’s not all about stretching. Varied exercise, good posture and changing your diet can help you stay nimble. “A common misconception is that people think exercise will aggravate joint pain,” says Giles Stafford, a consultant orthopaedic hip surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK. But strengthening the muscles around joints is important, says Stafford, especially if you have any issues with them, as it will minimise the pressure on them. Hip problems, for example, can be improved or even prevented by maintaining a good functional range of motion and muscle strength. Stafford recommends body weight exercises such as squats and lunges, and light dumbbell exercises such as bicep curls.

A 20-Minute Intense Workout That’s Easy on Your Joints

HIIT routines are typically both high intensity and high impact. But you can still get the hard work while being easy on your body.

An Agonizing Dilemma: When Obesity Prevents a Joint Replacement

Many doctors say it is too dangerous to perform the common surgeries on people with high body mass indexes, but patients say they are facing discrimination.

Doctors' New Advice for Joint Pain: Get Moving

The new treatment approach comes as osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease once considered a problem of old age, has begun showing up in more middle-aged and young adults as a result of obesity and sports injuries. Studies have shown that weight loss, combined with exercises aimed at improving joint function and building up muscles that support the joints, can significantly improve patients' health and quality of life compared with medication alone.

Exercise May Help Knees More Than Glucosamine And Chondroitin

Glucosamine and chondroitin are also marketed to dog owners. But what about us humans? Unfortunately, researchers say that for us the results just don't match the glowing testimonials.

Protecting your joints

Whether you're pain-free, recovering from an injury, or managing chronic arthritis, you can still protect your hips and knees and prevent additional problems by following these dos and don'ts:

Science or Snake Oil: is glucosamine good for joints?

The evidence for the use of glucosamine as a preventative measure is still inconclusive. It’s generally safe to take for prevention, but not recommended for long-term use if you have diabetes or high blood pressure as it may affect the metabolism of glucose.

SI Joint Problems Are a Sneaky Cause of Back Pain. Here’s What to Know

Pregnancy, injury, and playing sports can do a number on them.

Simple tips to protect your joints

One way you can be active in managing your arthritis is by adapting your daily routine to relieve pressure on your joints. The following techniques can help you avoid stiffness and lighten the burden on your joints.

Six Exercises to Ease Joint Pain and Improve Stability

Isometric exercises—where you hold a position—can help your joints.

What a 6,000-Year-Old Knee Can Teach Us About Arthritis

By studying bones dating back thousands of years, researchers find that the disease may not be just a part of getting old

What's actually happening when you crack your knuckles?

There’s a long-held myth that cracking your knuckles can give you arthritis. The sound definitely might cause the people around you to cringe, but what’s making those noises and is it actually bad for you?

Why double-jointed people are more likely to have health problems

The ability to extend your joints past their normal range of motion isn’t just a harmless party trick—you may be at risk for chronic pain and conditions like long COVID and POTS.

Why mobility should be a key part of your fitness routine

It’s about much more than preserving your joint health for old age. Experts break down why mobility is essential for daily activities and peak athletic performance.

Why stormy weather is often linked to joint pain and migraines

Many patients swear their pain worsens when the weather shifts, but studies have shown mixed results. Here’s what we know about the link—and what you might be able to do about it.

Resources

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Some diseases cause joint swelling, pain, and inflammation. Overuse or injury can also cause other joint problems.