How Moving Keeps Your Joints Happy
By Sandy Schroeder
When you get up in the morning, do your knees, back or shoulders respond slowly and complain frequently? Most of us give very little thought to our joints. But when they complain, everything changes.
Over 30 million medical visits a year are generated by knee and shoulder injuries. At least 150 million back pain cases happen annually.
Looking Closer at Your Problem
If you have painful joints, you may be tempted to shut down. Or you may gulp a pain pill, take a hot shower, or use an ice pack. But masking the problem won’t make it go away. Moving is essential.
Seeing an experienced chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you could also make a difference.
When you come in, your chiropractor will want to talk about your pain, your normal routine and your medical history. He or she will explain how spinal health helps to make the whole body healthier. Using a spinal adjustment to correct any dysfunctions may create pain relief for you in the neck, back, sciatic nerve, or other joints. Many patients also report feeling more energy, mental clarity or a sense of relaxation.
Together, you and your chiropractor can work through your specific issues, as you learn why your joints need to keep moving and how you can avoid injuring them.
The Secret Joint Ingredient
Motion is the secret ingredient that keeps our joints happy. Joints are not directly supplied with blood, like other body organs. So movement is the only way to keep them lubricated and working. Most joints are lined with cartilage, a strong, flexible tissue that covers bone surfaces. That cartilage is fed by synovial fluid as joints move and help to keep us mobile.
Avoiding Joint Injuries
Joint injuries can come from falls, sprained ankles, or other accidents. Staying strong and active can help you avoid accidents. But over time, joint injuries can also emerge from our daily work habits. When we sit for long periods of time with bad posture in fixed positions, repeating the same tasks, we invite repetitive-stress injuries in the shoulder, neck, back and wrists.
Workplace Review - Learning how to protect our joints can start with simple steps like learning better posture, improving workplace issues, and rearranging schedules to allow for varying tasks and taking frequent breaks.
Joint Protection – When lifting anything, use the largest muscles. When using joints to complete tasks, don’t overextend them to invite injury.
Overall, if you feel The Joint Chiropractic could help you and your joints, stop by at the clinic near you. The Joint offers an affordable care program that eliminates the need for insurance. Extended weekend and evening hours are available, and walk-in visits are welcome.
