Tag Archives: joints

Joint-Friendly Exercise

I fell in a hole this week while I was walking the dogs. We were at a local park, exploring all sorts of new sights and smells… and I just stepped where I shouldn’t have. My ankle turned and I was on my hands and knees in the wet grass and mud before I had a chance to think! At least it was early enough in the day that there was only one other walker out. (My ego survived the fall better than my ankle and knee.) My little slip up was a good reminder to be kind to my … Continue reading →

The Right Foods for Your Knees

After the holidays, I was sitting on the floor with the dogs while I watched one of my new DVDs. When I got up (after the hour and a half on the floor), my right knee was killing me. It ended up bothering me for close to a week, so I went with the RICE plan: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Eventually, the pain went away. I figure that I must have either been in a bad position on the floor or twisted something trying to get up. Your knees take a lot of abuse over a lifetime. I read somewhere … Continue reading →

What Else Should Be in a Pet’s Joint Supplement?

I’ve been comparing glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for Moose, seeing how he seems to be limping on his back legs lately. My parents’ dog Becca takes a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement for her arthritis, and it seems like a good thing for hip dysplasia as well. From what I’ve seen so far in my search, glucosamine and chondroitin are the stars of just about every joint formula out there. But there’s more than just those two things in your average joint supplement. So what else should be in your pets’ joint supplement? MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) is a compound naturally … Continue reading →

Risk Factors For Osteoarthritis

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Really, just about anyone has a chance of developing osteoarthritis. However, some things can make you more susceptible than other people. Your age. Age is the number one risk factor for osteoarthritis; the disease is most often seen in older people. However, osteoarthritis can start in younger people, often due to a joint injury. Experts predict that by the year 2030, approximately seventy million people will be at risk for osteoarthritis. Your gender. Before the age of forty five, osteoarthritis is more often seen in men. After that, osteoarthritis — especially in the hand — is seen more often in … Continue reading →

What is Osteoarthritis?

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The most common form of arthritis in the United States is osteoarthritis. Approximately twenty-one million adults suffer from osteoarthritis! Osteoarthritis starts with the breakdown of cartilage in a joint, causing pain and stiffness over time. Symptoms include steady or intermittent pain in a joint, stiffness after inactivity (like sleeping or sitting), swelling or tenderness in the joint, and a crunching sound or feeling when the joint is used. This last is the rubbing of bone on bone called crepitus. Experts aren’t sure why osteoarthritis happens. Some believe that the joint damage starts in response to physical stress, like an injury … Continue reading →

Protect Your Joints

There are a lot of little ways to help keep your joints strong and healthy! Carry your purse or laptop bag with the strap diagonally across your chest, rather than grasping the handles with your fingers, which can be a strain on your fingers and wrists. Purposely pick a smaller purse so you won’t load it down with everything but the kitchen sink. Instead of cradling the phone between your shoulder and ear (which can be a strain on your neck and shoulder) use a speakerphone or pick up a headset. Use a can opener or a jar opener to … Continue reading →

Spring Forward to Action 30 Day Challenge – Day 3: Flexibility

You should perform flexibility exercises 2 to 3 times per week. Flexibility exercises increase your range of motion as well as increase the support around your joints. The more flexible you are, the more you minimize risks of injuries to your joints. Flexibility exercises will also help tone and firm muscle appearance. Sagging arms, loose thighs and calves, even abdominal muscles can benefit from a good flexibility workout and help you achieve a more fit and trim appearance. For our flexibility exercises today, you will not need any equipment. Instead, you should be dressed in loose, comfortable clothing. You need … Continue reading →