27/06/2025
🤩Today we’re looking at ‘Body Awareness’. Because learning how to tune in to your body and listen to the signals to keep your joints joyful (and healthy), is crucial!
We need to stay active and incorporate exercise and good dietary choices into every day.
🦵Regular physical activity, especially low-impact exercises like swimming, walking and cycling, as well as strength training, can improve joint mobility and strengthen the supporting muscles.
And don’t forget a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods like omega-3s and antioxidants, along with maintaining a healthy weight, can also significantly contribute to joint health.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
✔️1. Tune in to Your Body:
Listen to pain signals:
Don't ignore persistent joint pain. Give us a call if you experience persistent discomfort, swelling, or limited range of motion. This is your body giving you a signal that something is not right.
Pay attention to posture:
Shoulders back, and sit up straight! Be mindful of your posture throughout the day. Poor posture can put extra stress on your joints.
Rest when needed:
Allow your body adequate rest to recover and rebuild after physical activity.
✔️2. Stay Active, Exercise and Stretch:
Regular low-impact exercise:
Engage in activities like swimming, walking, cycling, and water aerobics to improve joint mobility and strengthen supporting muscles.
Incorporate stretching:
How often do you stretch? If you include stretching exercises in your routine, you can maintain flexibility and good range of motion.
Strength training:
Strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints to provide better support and stability. Even as we get older, we need to train to strengthen our body, to support us for many years to come.
Warm-up before exercise:
Remember to properly prepare your body for physical activity with gentle warm-up exercises to increase blood flow and joint lubrication.
Cool-down and stretch afterwards:
Gentle stretching after exercise helps prevent injury, looks after your joints and promotes muscle recovery.
✔️3. Optimize Your Diet:
Anti-inflammatory diet:
Focus on foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts), antioxidants (found in fruits and vegetables), and other anti-inflammatory compounds.
Limit pro-inflammatory foods:
Try and reduce your intake of fried foods, refined carbohydrates, and excessive sugar, as they can promote inflammation and lead to joint pain.
Stay hydrated:
Do we really drink enough water? Adequate hydration is crucial for joint lubrication and overall health.
Consider supplements:
The potential benefits of supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids, can help with joint problems and keep them at bay.
✔️4. Maintain a Healthy Weight:
Weight management:
Say no to the sugar! Because excess weight puts extra stress on your joints, particularly weight-bearing joints like knees and hips.
Healthy eating and exercise:
Combine a balanced diet with regular physical activity to manage your weight effectively.
BODY FIRST UK - your local 5 Star Physio in Hampton Hill