Systematic physical activity is important at any age. It provides considerable benefits to the entire body: it strengthens muscles and joints, preserves and even increases bone strength, improves posture, elasticity of ligaments and balance, increases endurance and resistance to stress. To maintain the tone of the musculoskeletal system, it is necessary to give it a certain load every day.
Joints and their role in the human skeleton
Joints are the most common joints in the human skeleton. They provide free movement, but within the limits determined by their shape. The mobility of the connection reduces its strength, so they are additionally strengthened by fibrous ligaments. There are hundreds of joints in the human body. Some of them are small and inconspicuous, for example, in the wrists. And others are large and noticeable, for example, in the shoulders, knees and elbows. The mobility of these compounds in the body is very different. For example, the ball-and-socket shoulder joint allows the arm to move in any direction, while the flat intercarpal joints provide only minimal sliding of the bones relative to each other. The question of how to strengthen the joints is relevant today more than ever.
Activities most useful for strengthening joints
Many are interested in how to strengthen the joints. It is necessary to ensure minimal impact loads, such as walking, swimming, exercising on a stationary bike. Stretching exercises, including yoga and Pilates, help to strengthen joints, reducing the risk of injury. These are the best remedies for strengthening joints.
To keep them out of trouble, you need to follow some rules:
- Go to an orthopedist. A qualified specialist should assess the condition of the ankle, knee and hip joints.
- Control your weight. Excess weight is an extra load on all joints of the body, especially on the knees and hips. An increase of only 1 kg of weight increases the risk of developing arthrosis by 10-15%.
- Pick the right shoes. Uncomfortable shoes, especially those with high heels, can ruin your posture, gait and lead to foot diseases. The best shoes are tight-fitting sneakers with arch support and soft soles, such shoes are the best prevention of injuries to the ankle, hip and knee joints.
- Equip the workplace. An improperly placed computer or an uncomfortable posture at the desk create problems for the spine, which, in turn, lead to back and neck pain.
- Eat more fish in your diet. Fish is rich in unsaturated fatty acids necessary for the joints.
- Engage in suitable gymnastics that improves flexibility, posture, balance and coordination.
What exercise is good for joints and ligaments?
Various physical activity brings undoubted benefits to the whole body. How to strengthen joints, muscles and ligaments will show the effect of each individual type of physical activity on them:
- Aerobics improves blood supply to the joints, strengthens the ligaments.
- Stretching increases range of motion, reduces stiffness, and relieves pain.
- Strength training strengthens ligaments and tendons.
- Jogging strengthens the ligaments and tendons of the lower body.
- Swimming improves agility and blood flow to the joints.
- Dancing improves blood circulation, coordination.
- Walking increases mobility.
- Jumping strengthens the ligaments and tendons of the lower body.
- Yoga increases range of motion, reduces stiffness, relieves pain.
- Pilates has the same effect as yoga.
Exercises for the muscles of the shoulders and unloading of the ligaments
Overstraining the muscles of the shoulders and upper back is fraught with a very painful condition. Stooping at a desk and a hunched posture often lead to tightness in the chest muscles and stretching of the muscles in the shoulders and back, which in turn leads to headaches and muscle pain in this area.
How to strengthen the shoulder joint, the following exercises will show:
- Shrug. In a standing position, raise your shoulders to your ears, connecting the shoulder blades, then take them away and lower them.
- Reduction and breeding of the shoulders. Push your shoulders forward as much as possible, then take them further back, connecting the shoulder blades.
- Back stretch. Sit on a chair with your feet on the floor. Lean forward slowly. Stretching your arms between your legs, reach for the legs of the chair until you feel a strong stretch in your upper back. Slowly take the original position.
Proper nutrition
Healthy nutrition is important at any age: in childhood, when bones and muscles are actively growing, and in old age, when tissues weaken. Healthy bone tissue always needs a certain minimum of vitamins and minerals from food, primarily calcium.
How to strengthen joints and ligaments with nutrition? Food provides the body with energy, which is necessary for the whole organism, like fuel for a car. Protein in food is used by the body as a building material. Interestingly, human bone tissue is continuously destroyed and grows. For 7-10 years, the mineral substance of the skeleton of an adult is completely renewed. And in childhood, when the child grows rapidly, his skeleton is completely renewed in 2 years. Some trace elements and vitamins are especially beneficial for bones, joints, and muscles. Before you can strengthen your joints through exercise, you need to provide the body with proper nutrition.
Foods for healthy muscles, bones and joints
The required amount of them is easy to obtain from a balanced, varied diet, including the following food groups:
- Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream).
- Fats and carbohydrates (vegetable oil, nuts, fish).
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned).
- Proteins (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds).
If the daily menu does not correspond to a complete diet, it is advisable for the musculoskeletal system to take dietary supplements:
- calcium;
- vitamin D;
- magnesium;
- omega-3 fatty acids.
A person should receive the largest doses of calcium in the first 20 years of life, when bone strength is laid during the period of active growth. In addition, high doses of calcium are also needed closer to old age, when bone mineral density naturally decreases and the risk of fractures increases.
knee health
Throughout life, the knees are subjected to enormous loads. Their joints constantly support the weight of the body, and also suffer from household and sports injuries. The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the human body; many muscles, ligaments and tendons are involved in its work, the coherence of which ensures the stability of the knee and the work of the leg.
The bones of the lower body are strongly affected by gravity, and when simply walking, a person’s knees are subjected to a force that is 4-5 times their weight. And during sports, when the legs hit the ground, this force can exceed body weight by more than 12 times. Therefore, excess weight dramatically increases the risk of knee injuries and is the root cause of half of all operations to restore the articular cartilage of the knee.
The role of ligaments
The knee joint has cruciate and These are ligaments that strengthen the joint. Fibrous interosseous ligaments that strengthen the knee joint also control movement in it. They can pass inside its cavity, in the walls of the joint capsule and outside it. These strong bands of connective tissue connect the articulating bones and are essential for their strength, because a healthy ligament can stretch up to 5% of its original length.
Further stretching threatens injury, sprain. This is the appearance of micro-tears inside the tissue, leading to pain and swelling of the joint, as well as a decrease in its maneuverability. With increased loads, especially in sports, ligaments can rupture, such an injury is possible even with a fall. In this case, pain and swelling develops, and the stability of the knee decreases.
How to strengthen the knee joint?
Of course, prevention is better than cure. Few people think about the work of the knees until problems with them appear. Therefore, it is much easier to prevent knee problems and strengthen the muscles that protect the knee ligaments and menisci from overload and help avoid most injuries. Weak muscles are the main cause of knee problems, so it is important to pump them up regularly. Strengthening exercises are suitable for this - the muscles of the knee joint will receive the necessary load, which will reduce the risk of injury to the knees.
- Bending the legs at the knees. Lying on your stomach, straighten your legs. While inhaling, slowly bend one leg at the knee, lifting the lower leg until it is perpendicular to the thigh. Wait in this position for 2-3 seconds, then, slowly, return to the original position. Do the same with the other leg. Do 3 series of 10 of these exercises.
- Straight leg raise. Lying on your back, bend one leg and press the foot to the floor to secure the pelvis. Straighten the other leg. While inhaling, slowly raise the leg approximately 25 cm from the floor. Hold for about 3 seconds, slowly take the original position. Do the exercise with the other leg. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Straightening the leg at the knee. Sit straight in a chair with your back against the back of the chair. While inhaling, slowly straighten one leg almost parallel to the floor, but not all the way. Hold your leg in this position for a few seconds. Return to starting position and perform the exercise with the other leg. Do 10 exercises in 3 series.
