4 Workouts Easy On The Joints And Tough On Fat

Joints are the points where two or more bones come together, like the hip, shoulders, knees or elbows. Joint disorders can be caused due to an injury, improper blood flow or nutritional deficiencies.

If you are suffering from joint disorders such as arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, sports injury, or an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, exercising might seem out of question for you. The conventional wisdom used to be that exercising would increase joint problems. But in fact, workout increases strength and flexibility, increases weight loss, helps combat fatigue and also helps reduce joint pain [1][2].

So what some workouts can you do that are easy on your joints as well as maintains your weight and strength?

You have to choose forms of exercise that will not cause stress or further damage to your knees:

1. Cycling

Bicycling strengthens muscles at the front your thighs, or the quadriceps muscles, which help protect our knees from damage. For those with knee and hip pain, using a stationary bike, or a ride outside, can help reduce the impact on sore joints [3].

Stronger muscles stabilize the knees and enable them to absorb shock better, thereby reducing damage and pain, plus it helps burn about 500 calories an hour.

2. Water exercise

Apart from the traditional water exercise such as swimming, recently, many other water/aquatic exercises are proving to be beneficial for joint health and also help in weight management.

People with arthritis and other disabilities, who might find it difficult to perform land exercises, can opt for water exercises to ease stiffness and relieve pain.Water helps to cushion stiff and painful joints, also it cools your body, preventing overheating and hence soothes inflammation.

Some of the water exercises include Swimming laps, Deep-water exercises, and Water Aerobics. Water aerobics is the act of vertical exercises like dancing, walking, running and jumping in the water [4].

3. Tai-chi:

Tai-chi is a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, tracing its roots back to thousands of years. It is meditative martial art which features slow, gentle movements and deep breathing.

Modern-day evidence suggests apart from maintaining your health, it especially cares for your joints. Tai chi involves a series of exercises that flow from one to another, with emphasis on proper posture. These smooth-flowing movements are low-impact movements and hence your knees, ankles and other joints don’t get stressed. As being a meditative exercise, it has an overall calming effect on your body and mind [5]. For more tips on how to work out your mind check out our blog on “Memory Building”.

4. Stretching:

Stretching is the most simple form of workout that works wonders for your joints. Stretching not only fights stiffness but also helps protect the cartilage from more wear and tear, improving your ability to move your joints.

Without the need for any types of equipment, stretching can be done by just sitting in your chair. There various types of stretches - Calf stretch, Quadriceps stretch, Hamstring stretch, Finger extension, etc. [6]

People across the world mainly suffer from joint disorders due to nutritional deficiencies. Improper intake of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D and Omega-3, leads to serious joint disorders. Supplements providing a combination of nutrients can also be used in order to maintain joint health, if your diet isn’t providing you with enough nutrients.

Interested in a quick workout? Check out our blog on -- HIIT

 

[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971

[2] http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/exercising-joint-pain

[3] https://www.livestrong.com/article/380447-bicycling-to-help-with-knee-pain/

[4] https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/features/watery_workout

[5] https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/features/tai-chi-for-arthritis-relief

[6] https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/best-stretches

 

 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

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