At least 15 million Americans report having joint pain in their everyday lives. Even though they suffer from soreness, stiffness, and aches of all kinds, some people will keep up bad habits. There are many bad habits that give you joint pain. Identifying what they are is the first step to becoming free from the suffering they cause.
We are going to share the most common bad habits that are giving you joint pain, so you can eliminate a significant amount of the aches you are experiencing. Women suffer more from joint pain than men, which may be due to following expectations in fashion like wearing high heels. However, joint pain is a universal issue that can be reduced when you understand what may be making it worse.
Here are the most likely bad habits that are giving you joint pain:
Texting
Ever since on-screen keyboards and social media became popular, texting has become widespread. With it has also come an issue known as text neck. Besides the soreness and stiffness felt in the neck, it is also experienced in the fingers. Joint pain due to texting is a problem that is easily remedied by taking short and frequent breaks.
You can put your phone down every 2-3 minutes to prevent overusing your fingers, as well as avoide the 60 pounds of pressure you are putting on your neck when you are staring down at your phone.
Being Too Sedentary
Modern society has made it too easy to stay in one place without moving for long periods of time. Many jobs now require people to sit in an office chair and stare at a screen for hours at a time. As humans, we need to move our bodies and keep our joints lubricated. When you stay in one place for a while, your muscles become tired and you begin straining your joints. Your blood circulation also suffers.
An easy fix for this modern problem is to do some light stretching and exercise every 10-15 minutes. You will want to focus on moving the joints that hold onto the most strain while you are sedentary, such as the fingers, wrists, neck, and back.
Avoiding Strength Training
Strength training is an important type of exercise that everyone can do safely if they modify it to their physical condition. If you have joint pain, you may initially think that strength training is the last thing you should be doing. However, it can strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints, which will relieve the strain that your joints are feeling.
Ideally, you will be strength training two or three times throughout the week. Whether it is lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises, your joints will start feeling better soon. Even certain yoga poses will help you develop protective muscles around your joints. If you are concerned that you will injure yourself, consult with a personal trainer or physical therapist who can guide you.
Exercising Too Much
While exercise can help reduce joint pain, doing too much of it can lead to the opposite. When exercising, make sure you are listening to your body. If you begin to feel sharp pain, you are doing too much and overburdening your body.
Training slowly and with care will help you develop strength safely. This is how people well into their 60s can work out and exercise without feeling joint pain. Not only will your joint pain become significantly less, but you will help prevent pain in the future.
Not Getting Enough Vitamin D and Calcium
Vitamin D and calcium go hand-in-hand when it comes to strengthening your bones. Stronger bones will lead to stronger muscles. People who are deficient in vitamin D have been found to have weaker muscles. Combining vitamin D and calcium will ensure your joints get the maximum protection they need. If you are unsure whether you are getting enough of either one, talk to your doctor.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Getting anywhere between seven and nine hours of quality sleep per day will make a huge difference to how your joints feel. Your body goes into repair mode once your mind checks out for the night, so make sure you are getting enough sleep.
Drinking coffee within six hours of going to bed is going to make it more challenging to fall asleep. Watching TV, scrolling on your phone, or looking at any other screens an hour or two before bed will also lead to you suffering from insomnia. You will also want to cut back on alcohol if you are still having trouble falling asleep. Exercising on a regular basis also promotes better sleep.
Being Overweight
Packing on too many pounds is going to place more pressure on your joints, which will lead to greater pain. The joints in your hips, knees, and spinal column will bear the brunt of your weight. If you are overweight for too long, you may end up needing surgery due to suffering from cartilage tearing.
Dieting and exercising will be your two best tools for easing the load on your joints. Talk with your doctor about what an ideal body mass index is for you so that you can have healthy joints that do not hurt.
Get the Joint Relief You Deserve
These are some of the most common bad habits that give you joint pain. If you follow our advice, you will begin to feel relief from the soreness, stiffness, and aches you are experiencing right now. To ease the pain even further, you can take a joint supplement. JointFuel360 is a natural supplement that contains anti-inflammatory compounds like black pepper extract and turmeric, antioxidants like resveratrol, and joint-building ingredients like type II collagen. Taking a joint supplement every day will help you not only avoid pain but also strengthen your joints altogether.
Drop bad habits and enjoy a life without joint pain. It’s easier than you think!
