By Dana Neer
Joint pain is a universal reason why people do not
exercise. Every week I hold conversations with young and old (yes,
even teenagers), active and sedentary individuals and athletes who represent a
wide array of sports, ranging from weightlifting, ball sports, dance and
running who have become discouraged about joint pain, particularly pain in the
knees. Many have either ceased exercising
or cringe from the thought of pounding through another excruciating routine.
During my junior year of collegiate running, after
completing a taxing track workout, an exhausted teammate frustratingly
exclaimed to our coach, “You are a pain in the joint.” And yes, while it is
true that training can cause joint pain, many other factors contribute as well,
including posture, obesity, genetics and nutrition.
Being overweight can affect a person’s neuromuscular system,
resulting in abnormal changes in walking patterns and problems with balance and
stability. Overweight individuals tend
to walk with a rigid posture and spend more time with both feet on the
ground. The results lead to excessive
pressure in the bones and joints.
Thus, nutrition is a key factor in controlling joint
pain. Limiting caloric intake, plus
nourishing our bodies with ingredients our systems crave is vital. At times, joint pain may be a result of
insufficiency with vitamins A, B, C, D and E as well as mineral-enriched foods
with calcium. Berry juices and green tea
contains antioxidants which boosts our immune system, often times relieving
pain in the joints. A friend of mine in
Philadelphia suffered from such severe knee pain that he could not walk down
the stairs in the morning. Instead, he
resorted to sitting on the steps and scooting down. Weary of being forty years old and feeling
like he was ninety, he improved his diet, began a light exercise routine and
starting taking glucosamine, an over-the-counter supplement which helps the
re-growth process of broken tissues and joints.
One morning after six weeks of this discipline, he was startled to
realize that he was bounding down the stairs with little difficulty. The subtleness of a healthy routine – diet,
exercise and weight loss had given him new life. Remember to consult with your physician
before taking supplements.
One normal way to cure joint pain is by regularly performing
exercises. I know that this seems
contradictory since movement may cause pain to occur, but with time our bodies normally
adapt, and begin feeling better. Moving
is medicine. The American College of
Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association state that exercise is the
number one recommendation to cure arthritis and joint pain. The term arthritis describes more than 100 rheumatic
diseases and conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis, which often strikes
younger adults, is believed to be an autoimmune response that leads to inflammation. Pain is not a reason to stop excising. Attempt to work through normal, acceptable
levels of pain. No one wants to lose
their independence and rely on others to assist in their daily activities. The important point to remember is that
muscles support joints, effectively lightening their load, allowing us to move
more freely. If you gain muscular
strength and endurance, your joints become stronger and more tolerant too.
Functional strength can be attained or maintained through
weightlifting, using your own body weight (push-ups), static and ballistic
stretching, trampoline of soft surface based aerobic exercises, Pilates or
stability ball routines, walking and yoga.
Meditation and prayer are also other types of exercises that help relax
and focus a person, relieving stress in the body that usually settles in the
back and joints.
