women health

Top 10 Exercises for Healthy Joints

Here are some exercises that will help you to strengthen your joints:

 

Multiple joint exercises

Cycling. Unlike walking, running, aerobic dancing and other weight-bearing activities, bicycling is gentle on your joints and can be done by people of all ages.

Climbing the stairs. This form of exercise is probably one of the most efficient ways of strengthening the bones, muscles and joints of your lower body. What's more, stairs are everywhere, and they're free. You don't need a membership in an expensive health club; the stairs in your home or at the mall will do just fine.

Swimming. Even if you can't swim, you can use the pool for an excellent workout to help strengthen those joints. Remember, if it's hot and humid outside, you surely won't want to exercise. But a quick trip to the swimming pool will not only cool your off, it can set you on the road to a healthir lifestyle

Individual joint exercises

Windmill/shoulder exercise: Straighten both arms then rotate forward 10 times, then reverse and rotate backwards. Start with small, slow circles and eventually increase the size of the circles and speed of rotation as your joint becomes accustomed to the drill.

Chair lift/Elbow exercise:  The bicep and tricep muscles are the large muscle groups that bend and straighten the elbow. The biceps are located on the front of the upper arm and the triceps are located on the back. To do the exercise, sit in a straight-backed chair with armrests. Put your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the armrests and push up with your arms lifting your bottom slightly off the chair. Hold for a count of six.  Slowly lower yourself into the chair and relax. Repeat this strengthening exercise 10 times.

Door Opener/wrist exercise: This exercise stretches the muscles and ligaments that rotate the forearm letting you turn doorknobs, use a screwdriver, of put your hand in your back pocket. Start with your forearm resting on a table, palm down. Keeping your little finger on the table, turn your hand so the palm faces up. If you use your other hand to help, grip your forearm, not the wrist or hand.

Hip Abduction exercise: Lie on your right side. Bend your right leg, and rest your left foot on the ground. Slowly lift your top leg 2 feet off the ground. Hold for five seconds, then slowly lower the leg. Repeat 10 times, then change legs.

Bent leg raises/ knee exercise: Strengthens the inner thigh muscle to balance the pull on the knee joint from the outer thigh which is often stronger. Start this exercise using 1 lb. ankle weights. Sit on a chair and straighten one leg. Hold for one minute. Bend your knee to lower that leg about halfway to the floor (a 45-degree angle). Hold for 30 seconds. Return to starting position and rest for one minute.

Hip Adduction exercise: Lie sideways position with hips and shoulders stacked, top leg should be bent over the bottom leg. Lift the bottom leg up towards the ceiling keeping the foot flexed and leg extended. Repeat up to 10 times on each leg.

Calf Raise: This move builds calf strength and ankle stability, as well as body coordination and balance. Ankle stability is critical to proper knee alignment. Place the ball of one foot on the edge of a raised object, letting your heel and arch extend off the object stretching as far down as possible. Hold on to a chair or the wall for support and keep back straight, head up, and leg locked.Put other foot next to or behind leg being trained. Raise up on toe as high as possible and hold for a quick second while flexing the calf muscle. Lower to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner. Repeat 8–12 times, working up to two sets on each foot. To advance: Add a third set, placing hands on hips for balance.