Health
Protect joints and prevent pain
Joints play vital roles in the human
body, forming the connections
between bones and facilitating
movement. Damage to the
joints can be especially painful, and
that damage may result from conditions
such as osteoarthritis or gout.
While not all joint pain is debilitating,
the discomfort of joint pain is
such that it’s wise for adults to take
steps to protect their joints with the
hope of preventing joint pain down
the road. Recognizing that joint
pain can negatively affect quality of
life, the Arthritis Foundation offers
the following joint protection tips to
men and women:
Forgo fashion with regard to
footwear. According to the Arthritis
Foundation, three-inch heels
stress the feet seven times more
than one-inch heels, and heels put
additional stress on knees, possibly
increasing women’s risk for osteoarthritis.
Though heels may be
fashionable, the risk of developing
joint pain is not worth making the
fashion statement.
Get some green in your diet.
A healthy diet pays numerous dividends,
but many may not know that
a healthy diet can help prevent joint
Strength-training tips for women
Caribbean L 30 ife, Aug. 2–8, 2019
pain. Green vegetables such as spinach,
broccoli, kale, and parsley are
high in calcium and can reduce agerelated
bone loss while also slowing
cartilage destruction.
Shed those extra pounds. The
Foundation notes that every extra
pound a person gains puts four
times the stress on his or her knees.
The Foundation also notes that research
has shown that losing as little
as 11 pounds can reduce a person’s
risk of osteoarthritis of the
knee by 50 percent.
Hit the pool. Swimming is a
great full-body workout and can
be especially helpful to the joints.
The buoyancy of water supports
the body’s weight, reducing stress
on the joints and minimizing pain
as a result. If possible, swimmers
already experiencing pain should
swim in heated pools, which can
help relieve pain.
Take breaks at work. Many
people develop joint pain thanks to
their jobs. If you spend all day sitting
at a desk or standing on your
feet, try to find a greater balance between
the two. Joints can grow stiff
from sitting all day, while standing
throughout your work day can
stress the joints. Take a short break
every 30 minutes to stand up and
walk around if you spend most of
your day at a desk. If you stand a lot
at your job, stop to sit down for a few
minutes once every half hour.
Joint pain and aging do not have
to go hand in hand. More information
about joint paint is available at
www.arthritis.org.
Swimming is a great workout that can alleviate pain and reduce stress on the joints.
Strength training might
once have been the realm
of hulking males aiming
to build as much muscle
as possible, but active adults
now recognize that strength
training is benefi cial to men
and women alike. In fact,
strength training can be especially
benefi cial to women,
helping them develop and
maintain strong bones and
thereby reducing their risk
for osteoporosis, a medical
condition that affl icts more
women than men and is characterized
by weak or brittle
bones.
Though women over 50 are
most susceptible to osteoporosis,
women of all ages can benefi
t from strength training.
Those who are unfamiliar
with such exercise may be hesitant
to dive right in for fear
of injury or due to the sometimes
intimidating nature of
strength training sections at
fi tness centers. But the following
tips should help women
overcome any such fears as
they adapt to fi tness regimens
that include regular strength
training.
Work with a trainer initially.
Strength training is
great for the body, but women
who have never before lifted
a weight might want to employ
the services of a personal
trainer until they are comfortable
enough to go it alone. Personal
trainers can ensure you
are performing exercises correctly
and not in a way that
can cause injury. In addition,
trainers can answer any questions
you might have and help
you establish strength training
goals.
Begin with light weights.
When starting a strength
training regimen, use lighter
weights, only increasing the
weight once you are confi dent
you have the motion of an exercise
down pat and need a
greater challenge. If you don’t
want to add too much weight,
you can increase the number
of reps so your workout stays
challenging.
Expect some soreness,
but take stock of any aches
and pains. You should expect
to feel some moderate soreness
after your fi rst few strength
training sessions. That soreness
likely stems from your
body never before engaging its
muscles in the way strength
training does. But any persistent
aches and pains should
be taken seriously. It’s important
to take note of where the
pain is coming from, which
can indicate whether or not
you are performing exercises
correctly. For example, your
shoulders should not be infl
amed or aching during or
after a biceps workout. If they
are, your form is probably
off and you should consult a
trainer to help ensure your
form is correct and you are
not risking injury.
Work the entire body.
Adequate strength training
targets various muscles in
the body, not just the arms.
Women should make sure
their strength training regimens
include exercises for
their shoulders, back, chest,
arms, and legs. Focus on one
or two muscle groups each
workout.
Spice things up from
time to time. Many people
eventually grow bored with
their strength training regimens.
Women can spice up
their regimens by adding repetitions
and lowering weights
every four to six weeks or routinely
looking for new musclespecifi
c exercises to replace
exercises that have grown
boring.
Strength training might
be most often associated with
men, but women can benefi t
from lifting weights in the immediate
future and for years
to come.
/www.arthritis.org
/www.arthritis.org