| Your bones hang out in a lot of joints. Knee joints. Hip | | | | good.There are still some that insist on excusing their |
| joints. The joints in your fingers and the joints in your | | | | selves in exercise routines because they do not just |
| toes. Wherever bones meet, there is also cartilage, a | | | | have time or they have less energy than ever before. |
| rubbery, protective layer that ensures your joints bend | | | | These are all lame excuses. Hence, it is time to start to |
| smoothly and painlessly. But even cartilage cannot do | | | | get rid of those pains. Start exercising.Consequently, |
| this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the | | | | preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but |
| synovium provides fluid that lubricates the | | | | physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your |
| moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears | | | | risk. Here is how:1. Do not weight aroundThe single |
| out of the synovium becomes inflamed, the result is | | | | most important measure anyone can take to prevent |
| generally a case of osteoarthritis or | | | | osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are |
| rheumatoid arthritis.In osteoarthritis, the cartilage | | | | overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your |
| can be eroded so much that bone does rub on bone. | | | | knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, for example, |
| Thos type of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime | | | | you put 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure |
| as a simple result of the wear and tear placed on your | | | | on your knees every time you take a step. That extra |
| joints over the years. Very few people escape some | | | | pressure can slowly but surely erode the cartilage in |
| degree of osteoarthritis, though the severity varies a | | | | your knees, leading to arthritis.A study has clearly |
| great deal. As a matter of fact, if you are over the | | | | supported the theory that weight loss weighs in on the |
| age of 50, you are likely to have at least one joint | | | | side of prevention. In the study, overweight women |
| affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects men | | | | who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period |
| and women equally and is by far the most common | | | | decreased their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the |
| type of arthritis, with almost 16 million Americans in the | | | | knee by 50%.2. Stretch those musclesAny kind of |
| list.In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at | | | | stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which |
| the source of trouble. Doctors and researchers are | | | | can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to some of |
| not absolutely sure what causes it, but most think that | | | | the professors of clinical medicine in New York |
| rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune | | | | City.Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 |
| system actually attacks certain tissues in the body, | | | | seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by |
| including those that connect the joints and the | | | | stretching before any exercise, especially running and |
| synovium.Rheumatoid arthritis begins with swollen, red, | | | | walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. |
| stiff, and painful joints, but it may progress until scar | | | | Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on |
| tissue forms in the joint or, in extreme cases, until the | | | | potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or |
| bones actually fuse together. Almost 75% of the 2 | | | | the lower back.3. Walking is always the best |
| million people with rheumatoid arthritis in the United | | | | exerciseTake a good long walk at least three times a |
| States are women. The disease can hit as early as | | | | week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact |
| teen years.Exercising Your Prevention OptionsInvesting | | | | exercise routine maximum results. There is no proof |
| a little time in developing a good weight-bearing | | | | that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may |
| low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to | | | | aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just |
| great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. | | | | remember to check with your doctor before starting a |
| Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and | | | | new exercise program.The bottom line is that of all the |
| tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.That is | | | | healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is |
| why the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are | | | | because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is |
| 50 years and over. However, most Americans over | | | | really important for people to exercise in order to stay |
| 50 are still right where they always were sitting back | | | | healthy and keep those joints free from wear and |
| and watching others jog by. Most of them contend | | | | tear.Just keep in mind that the unexercised body, even |
| that that is just for people who have been athletic all | | | | if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like |
| their life, or some say exercise is for young people and | | | | arthritis, is not at its full potential. Hence, start exercising |
| engaging into exercise will do them more harm than | | | | right now! |