5 ways to relieve muscle & joint pain
Preparation is key!
Your fitness goals can be severely hindered by joint problems. However, with a little preparation and some knowledge you can tackle any fitness challenge and feel great during and after.
1. Lose excess weight
Maintaining a healthy weight can be beneficial on joints. One study claimed that losing about half a kilo of weight, delivers almost a one-kilo reduction in knee joint load for each step.
2. Warm up / cool down
Invest time to ensure the body is prepared for exercise by undertaking warm-up activities at the start of your session. The cool-down phase will help you to gradually reduce the intensity of activity and soreness in the joints and muscles.
3. Allow time for recovery
Knee injury can increase the chances of developing and aggravating osteoarthritis in many people. Should injury occur, allow enough time for full recovery and seek professional advice if symptoms persist.
4. Strengthen muscles and increase flexibility
Strength and flexibility injury can occur when a joint is taken outside of its comfortable range of motion. Stronger stabiliser muscles and increased flexibility lessen the likelihood or severity of an injury.
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