One of the problems with increasing your level of healthy exercise is associated soreness in the joints. Although joints aches and pains are more common in seniors, they can affect people of any age as a result of intense and/or repetitive physical activity. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to prevent or manage joint pain without taking prescription medications.
Many people feel sore and achy in the joints after vigorous or sustained exercise. A certain amount of joint discomfort is simply the body’s reaction to the extra stress put upon it, and soon passes. For some people, however, this achiness continues on and off, throughout the day and night. Often, the discomfort is caused by osteoarthritis - destruction of the supportive cartilage that cushions the joints, due to wear and tear.
What You Can Do
There are a number of actions you can take to relieve joint pain associated with osteoarthritis:
- Protect your joints. Pay close attention to what your body tells you and stop any action that causes pain. Alternate heavy or repetitive tasks with easier ones or breaks in your schedule.
- Control your weight. Properly managing your weight helps to prevent osteoathritis by reducing stress on the joints. Keeping your weight under control also helps reduce knee and ankle pain if you already have arthritis.
- Apply heat or cold. Applying heat or cold to sore joints can provide temporary relief of pain and stiffness. Time your use of heat or cold to provide the best relief of pain. Many people find that applying heat before exercise, and cold afterwards, provides significant relief. Never use heat with rubs or creams.
- Keep moving. Research shows that a properly designed exercise program decreases arthritis pain while increasing overall fitness. When you are active, you are literally “feeding” your joints. Cartilage depends on joint movement to absorb nutrients and remove waste. Remember to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.
- Reduce stress. Being stressed contributes to a person’s perception of pain. Do all you can to relieve your stress. Going for a walk, practising meditation or biofeedback, or attending a yoga class all qualify as de-stressors.
- Talk to your pharmacist. If you need relief for painful joints, the pharmacy shelves at London Drugs carry a variety of helpful products. We have featured four of these products. Since the nature and cause of pain varies, we encourage you to ask the pharmacist which product is most appropriate for your needs.