Ways to protect your joints!

Your joints undergo a certain amount of wear and tear as you age. Even when you're completely healthy, daily activity and exercise put strain on them.  But when you have arthritis, your joints become cranky and creaky, susceptible to flare-ups.

Protecting your joints is one of the most effective ways to avoid or relieve arthritis pain and prevent further joint damage. Try these joint protection techniques to get the best from your joints while minimising pain and discomfort.

• Maintain your ideal body weight: The more you weigh, the more stress you are putting on your joints, especially your hips, knees, back and feet.
  
  
• Move your body: Exercise protects joints by strengthening the muscles around them. Strong muscles keep your joints from rubbing against one another, wearing down cartilage.
  
  
• Stand up straight: Good posture protects the joints in your neck, back, hips and knees.
  
  
• Use the big joints: When lifting or carrying, use largest and strongest joints and muscles. This will help you avoid injury and strain on your smaller joints.
  
  
• Pace yourself: Alternate periods of heavy activity with periods of rest. Repetitive stress on joints for long periods of time can accelerate the wear and tear.
  
  
• Listen to your body: If you are in pain, don't ignore it. Pain after activity or exercise can be an indication that you have overstressed your joints
  
  
• Don't be static: Changing positions regularly will decrease the stiffness in your muscles and joints.
  
  
• Build up: Don't engage in activities your body for which your body isn't prepared. Start new activities slowly and safely until you know how your body will react to them. This will reduce the chance of injury.
  
  
• Ask for help: Don't try to do a job that is too big for you to handle. Get another pair of hands to help out.

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