How to Take Care of Joint Pain As You Get Older

As we get older, our body tends to heal less quickly and is more prone to injury, especially when it comes to exercising and physical fitness. With so many more ways to prevent joint pain and to help heal your body here are some tips and tricks to help with joint pain as you age.

Why do You get Joint Pain as You Get Older?

First, why do we tend to see more of these problems as we age? With increasing age comes an increase in the number of cartilage injuries and the subsequent need to treat them. 

As you get older, your body is less able to produce enough cartilage to provide adequate protection. The cartilage that has already been damaged is more likely to become damaged again as well. Activities like high impact sports you did when you were younger begin to catch up with you as your body slows down the healing process. 

In addition, because your cartilage is wearing away, it is also more prone to fracture. A large break in a joint can be a very painful experience, especially if you have any ligaments or tendons involved. A small break, however, can be less painful and it does not usually require the attention of a plastic surgeon.

Although it is not uncommon to experience cartilage damage as we age, it does not necessarily mean you need to suffer from pain. 

Nutrition

Nutrition is the first step in overall joint health. Making sure that you are getting the right minerals and vitamins to help support your joints is the best thing that you can do to improve your mobility as you age. Make sure to drink plenty of water, and eat a diet rich in leafy greens and calcium to help improve your joints. 

It has been shown that being overweight, smoking, and drinking excessively can also lead to increased inflammation of the joints and cause more joint pain. If you have any other existing conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis this will also significantly increase joint pain and while diet and exercise can help it may need to be treated by a professional.

Supplements

While you do not need to take a supplement if you find that your diet does not give you enough of these vitamins and minerals it may be a good idea to take a supplement. 

If you are suffering from joint pain there are a multitude of supplements that can help. Turmeric, calcium, and vitamin c are all great supplements that you can add to your diet to improve joint health and to help reduce inflammation. Simply stop by your local supplement store or online to find the perfect supplements for your needs.

Light Exercise

While it is not necessarily a good idea to go ahead and run a marathon as this is very hard on your knees and ankles, walking at a brisk pace and doing other low impact exercise is a good way to help keep your joints lubricated. It is highly beneficial to continue to exercise as it not only does wonders for your physical and mental health but also helps your joints to keep their elasticity and prevents them from getting worse as you age. 

Taking the time to walk, bike, or swim for 30 minutes during the day is a great way to ease joint pain. It may seem counter-intuitive but continuing to move is much better for your joints that staying still.

Consult Your Doctor

If you think you are doing everything that is necessary to support your joints as you get older, you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of using a splint. to help with the pain in your joint. Sometimes, however, surgery is needed in order to correct problems in the joint anatomy or in order to restore cartilage or bone density.

It is also helpful to talk with your doctor about how to support joints as you get older. Some of the most common causes of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Both can affect the cartilage in the joint, and both have different treatments that will be effective. In addition, many people with osteoarthritis find that exercise is helpful, so it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about taking daily exercise and stretching.

Conclusion

Joint pain can be very painful, but it is important to keep in mind that you will need to learn as much as possible about the disease and your own body so that you can help your body to remain healthy and have healthy joints for as long as possible. When you are looking at how to support joints as you get older, you might not see many signs of improvement. However, you will notice an increase in your joint pain and stiffness as you go, and this is a reminder to take a look at your diet and lifestyle.