How To Keep Your Joints Healthy As You Get Older

There’s a moment in every adult’s life when they realize they should start taking their health seriously. For most of us, it’s when we become parents. While you still may be young, your body is always getting older. With kids in your life, you want to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. 

Why? Because you want to be able to play with them as they’re growing up, or go on nice long family walks without any problems. You also want to remain as independent as can be for as long as you can to avoid burdening your kids when they get older. There are so many reasons to stay healthy – and so many things you can do. 

Today, we’re looking at a common health problem for adults as we age: joint pain. Pain in your ankles, knees, hips, or shoulders can be debilitating and lead to issues. It can stop you from having fun with your kids or doing normal daily tasks. So, here’s how you keep your joints healthy: 

Support your ankles

Ankle pain is extremely common when you get older because the area starts to weaken. Therefore, you need to provide it with some added support. Two ways to do this are by wearing the correct footwear and applying ankle tape. 

As far as footwear is concerned, you should wear shoes or sneakers with the right arch support for your feet. Flat feet cause ankle joint problems all the time, so see an expert to get insoles made. For ankle taping, see here to understand how it supports the joint and prevents pain.

Don’t sit for long periods

Excessive sitting causes your hips to tighten up and become a massive source of joint pain. What’s more, tight hips can lead to extra strain on your knee joints, causing pain in that area too. 

Spend less time sitting down and more time standing up. Move around every half an hour if possible – even if you’re standing up at your desk and walking around the office for a minute or two. The more you sit, the worse your hips will get. Plus, sitting at a desk or driving can also cause shoulder joint problems as it makes you round your back. This causes all kinds of issues that tend to lead to shoulder impingements and a lot of pain. 

Stretch and exercises

Finally, be sure to stretch regularly and exercise as often as possible. Focus on stretches/exercises that are good for your posture. For example, stretch your hips and your chest to avoid hip or shoulder issues. Stretching your calves can also prevent ankle problems when you get older. 

Then, strengthen muscles around your joints to keep them stable and healthy. Honestly, any type of exercise will be good for you – and it also improves other elements of your health at the same time. 

Don’t let joint pain disrupt your life and stop you from enjoying time with your kids. Work on keeping your joints healthy now, so you have fewer problems when you’re much older.