Jon Critoph, from Marlow Complementary Health Care, explains how to look after your joints.

We get up in the morning and get out of bed, walk to the bathroom and probably never give another thought to how we get from one place to another until we can either no longer move or movement causes pain.

Have you ever stopped to ponder how many times you flex your knee joints in a day?

We accept that mechanical hinges wear out, need attention every now and again and when they begin to squeak we can always put a drop of oil on them. However, when do we consider looking after our joints? Normally when we are already suffering.

How to look after your joints

o Keep your weight down, after all, every extra kilo we carry the joints in the lower back, hips and knees have to support. The heavier the weight the more wear and tear will occur in these joints. A visit to a nutritionist can help you understand your body and the food intake it gets and how this can affect your overall weight and health.

o Regular exercise is good for the body and the joints, but be sure to warm up first before embarking on any strenuous exercise, and do some stretching and bending when you have finished an active exercise programme. Build up what you ask the body to cope with slowly, don't suddenly push yourself too hard and overdo it. After exercise it may be an idea to seek out some relaxation through something like a massage or aromatherapy session, and, of course, if you feel you have injured a joint a sports massage may be just what you need.

o Strengthen joints and the muscles that control this area by doing exercises like walking up hills or stairs, and carry out other exercises that will work the muscle groups in the leg especially those surrounding the knee. There are many exercises that can be carried out in the gym that will help in this area too. Try and avoid always sitting with your legs crossed or twisted up, as this can put undue strain on the knee joints.

o Avoid sitting at computers for too long in one session, as assuming one position doing anything for a long time is not a good idea and especially as we tend to hunch up over our keyboards we begin to lock the body into an unhealthy posture. Try and consciously stop work at your computer every 30 minutes or so, and take a couple of minutes to stretch and bend the other way to your normal posture you have been holding for the last time period. If you are not too disciplined perhaps consider buying a small timer and setting it to go off every 30 minutes as a reminder. You will be amazed at how quickly you get into this newfound routine and will certainly notice if you do not stop. Over a period of time a bad posture will begin to affect the body and in particularly the skeletal system and you may find the way you walk or stand being affected. Your local chiropractor may give a free spinal alignment check, and will be able to advise if you need any spinal correction work.

o Supplements and diet will do a good job of supporting the joints in the body. With today's lifestyle and fast food, convenience meals and eating on the run together with the loss or reduction of many of the natural vitamins and minerals in our food we need to look to replace these with supplements. It has been shown there are a number of these, which can directly support the health of joints. These include vitamins C and D, Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA's) and supplements such as Glucosamine Sulphate or Glucosamine Hydrochloride together with Crondroitin. As far as your diet goes, the healthier you eat the healthier you will be. Try to avoid huge gaps between meals and missed meals, preferring to eat smaller amounts and more often, also avoiding eating too late and then going to bed on a full stomach. You won't get a good night's sleep nor will you get the most from your food. Where ever possible try and eat organic.

o Protect your joints from undue stress and damage. Try to avoid kneeling down on hard surfaces without some kind of protective pad or at least if one is not available do not assume this position for long periods of time without some sort of a break. Treatments like Shiatsu can help increase joint mobility and release tensions held in these areas. If you start to get pains in the joints consider what you have been doing that might have caused the problem and try to avoid continuing to do the same. Try not to reach straight for the painkillers as pain is there as a warning something is wrong. Go and get it checked out by a health professional.

o Finally, take time out, often easier said than done. Take time out for yourself, it is only too easy to be on the go from early morning to late at night without considering a short break to recuperate and allow the body to rest. Try and take a short period of time at least once or twice in a day where you can simple stop what you are doing and have time for a bit of quiet contemplation. Take time to listen to your body and what it might be saying to you.

Visit: www.marlow-healthcare.co.uk
Email: jon@critophj.freeserve.co.uk