From lifestyle changes to joint support, help protect your joints with our top tips
We don’t usually think about joint health until we notice something isn’t right – whether that’s a dull ache, a recent injury or joint pain caused by a condition like arthritis.
Whatever your reason for wanting to show your joints a little extra care, read on as we get down to the bone with our 10 top tips for helping to keep your joints healthy.
1. Keep it moving
We’re big advocates for doing physical activity, no matter your age or level of fitness. But we know this can be more challenging for some, for example those whose jobs require them to spend a lot of their day sitting. If this is the case, try to stand up every 30 minutes or so to keep things moving.
If you’re struggling with joint pain, we know if can be difficult to keep moving for fear of making the pain worse. However, regular physical activity such as walking, aqua aerobics, yoga and swimming can help improve symptoms such as pain and stiffness, as well as keeping your joints mobile and helping to strengthen the muscles supporting your joints, too.
Swimming in particular is great for helping to protect and strengthen your joints, as the buoyancy of the water supports your body weight, meaning you can exercise without added stress on joints. The water also provides a gentle resistance which helps to build up strength and improve the flexibility of your joints.
Remember, rest is equally as important as exercise to help your body and joints recover. You can find out more in our post-workout recovery article.
If you’re considering exercising and you haven’t exercised for some time or have a medical condition, speak to your GP first.
2. Don’t underestimate the power of stretching
It goes without saying that warming up before exercising and cooling down post-workout is super important for many reasons. Not only does it help warm up your muscles, increase blood flow and improve circulation, but stretching can be very beneficial for your joints. This is because stretches are lower impact and therefore won’t put excess stress on them. Stretching can also lubricate joints, improve flexibility, enhance the range of motion and reduce the risk of injury, too.
Our top tip? Don’t start stretching cold muscles. Instead, try to warm up for five to 10 minutes and then go in with your stretches. Warm muscles can stretch for longer and endure more so this will help in the long run. You can take a look at our guide to stretching for more inspiration.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
Whether you experience joint pain or not, we should all maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle to help us feel good from the inside out and reduce the risk of developing a serious illness and/or a long-term medical condition.
Being overweight can put added pressure on the joints in your knees, hips, ankles and feet. In fact, every extra pound you gain puts four times the stress on your knees. This may then lead to pain, mobility problems and a gradual breakdown in the cartilage. If you’re overweight and you lose weight, this will not only improve your overall health, but it will provide a little relief to your joints. What’s more, research has shown that losing as little as 11 pounds (about 5kg) may improve your joint health and reduce the risk of osteoarthritis (a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff) of the knee by 50%.
Want to take control of your weight but don’t know where to start? Take a look at our Weight Management Hub for advice, services and inspiration to help you along the way.
4. Take your vitamins
As we age, our joints and bones can become more fragile, and a key part of looking after them is by leading a healthy lifestyle. This includes regular exercise, sleeping well, eating a balanced diet and ensuring you’re getting enough essential vitamins and nutrients.
Calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, protein and vitamins D, C and K all contribute to the maintenance of normal bones. Vitamin C also contributes to the normal production of collagen in the body, which in turn supports the normal function of cartilage and bones to help keep joints healthy.
We have plenty of vitamins and supplements* to help support both joint and bone health. You can also take our free vitamins quiz to find which ones are recommended for you.
5. Boost your calcium intake
As we just mentioned, calcium supports the maintenance of normal bones. Adults aged 19 to 64 and over need 700mg of calcium a day, which you should be able to get from your diet alone. However, a lack of calcium is thought to lead to osteoporosis (a condition that weakens the bones) later in life, so try to incorporate calcium-rich foods in your diet like yoghurts, green leafy vegetables and fish where you eat the bones, like sardines or tinned salmon.
6. Stop smoking
Going hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking can be one of the best decisions you make for your health. But what’s the link between smoking and joint health? Well, smoking can:
• Have a negative impact on bone mineral density, reducing calcium absorption and lowering levels of vitamin D
• Reduce bone mass which can lead to osteoporosis
• Be associated with more bone fractures and slow healing
• Be a risk factor for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (an autoimmune disease that affects the joints) due to inflammation
Ready to quit smoking? Our Stop Smoking Advice Hub has lots of support, advice and access to plenty of stop smoking aids** to help you stub the habit. If you need further support on your smoke-free journey, the Boots Online Doctor Stop Smoking Treatment Service^ offers, advice and if appropriate, treatment to help reduce cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms.
7. Perfect your posture
Over time, bad posture can place stress on your joints, leading to excess cartilage wear and damage. Practicing good posture allows your muscles to work more effectively to support the joints. Poor posture can also cause muscle and joint strain, as well as neck, head and back pain.
To practice good posture, stand up straight with your shoulders back, head level with your body and your feet shoulder-width apart. When sitting, keep your back against the back of the chair, relax your shoulders, keep your knees level with your hips and your feet flat on the floor.
Want to pay more attention to your posture? Find out more in our guide to good posture.
8. Ditch the high heels
Love wearing high heels? While we can agree they elevate any outfit, high heels come at a price, as they can change the way your muscles and joints line up. It’s also thought that three-inch heels can stress your foot seven times more than a one-inch heel. What’s more, heels can put extra stress on your knees and may increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis down the line.
Our advice? Try to limit the amount you wear high heels. For example, if you wear them every day to work, try to opt for low heels or swap out for shoes with no heels.
9. Spread the load
It’s important to take care of your joints when you lift and carry, whether you experience joint pain or not. If you’re carrying something heavy, ease the load by spreading it across several joints. For example, carrying a backpack on both your shoulders, instead of one. Or carry bags on your arm or shoulder. This lets your bigger muscles and joints support the weight, putting less strain on just one joint.
10. Use splints or a brace
Some people may require a bit of additional joint support in the form of splints or a brace.
Splints are often used for joints affected by arthritis, as they may offer some relief if you have painful, weak or swollen joints.
A brace aims to help support weak muscles, reduce joint pain, improve daily function, stabilise a fracture or strain and provide stability.
If you don’t live with arthritis but you’d like to take steps to keep your joints healthy, you may want to consider using sport supports when recovering from an injury or doing certain exercises to help assist recovery, support movement and provide weakened joints with stability.
If you do have arthritis and require joint support, speak to your occupational therapist or clinician who will be able to advise on what’s best for you. You can find more information on living with, managing and treating arthritis on our Arthritis Health Hub.
