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According to researchers, running is healthy for the joints. Running doesn’t hurt your knees or joints if you do it correctly. By exercises and jogging, your bone and muscle mass increase as well as improves the cartilage. But if you are an overweight person, those extra pounds have a harmful effect on your joints. By taking some precautions or following some tips, you can avoid joint pain if you want to run.
If you are a beginner, it is not easy as you cannot achieve your target in one day. Start your exercise with small goals. Once you build up strength, you can increase the speed and time of your workouts. Make a chart with the help of your physician and a trainer. Keep a record to track your development or progress. Do not forget to consult your physician if you are not comfortable with any physical activity. However, do follow the advice of your doctor.
The first thing you have to do is to lose some weight, and for that, you have to do some exercises and consume healthy food besides following a strict diet. You should be fit for your physical activities and should not have any health issues. So consult your doctor and take his advice according to your health position and only if he gives you the green signal, you can start your exercises and prepare yourself for serious running. Before you start your exercises, there are certain things you should bear in mind.
Proper Body Weight to Avoid Joint Pain
You should have a decent weight to have healthy joints. When your molecules across a joint are overburdened by your extra weight, the molecules start straining or wear out, and that leads to joint pain. Through proper exercises, you can do away with your extra weight.
Avoid Uneven and Hard surfaces
While jogging, avoid uneven roads and even hard surfaces such as cement roads. If you run on an uneven surface, you might twist your leg and thereby end up with ankle sprain. When you run on hard surfaces, you put extra pressure on your joints. So always walk or run on level ground.
Shoes:
Right Shoes: Wear proper shoes and socks while running or jogging. Try to wear cushioned or extra support shoes, and shoes which are heavy also. These types of shoes give you a softer landing.
Heel Height: Any shoes which have more than two inches height are not suitable for your knees. The shoes with more height put extra pressure on your knees. So you should avoid wearing high-heeled shoes. Hence wear comfortable shoes while walking or running.
Low-Impact Exercises
Never go for high-impact sports or exercises which hurt your joints. Rather go for low-impact exercises such as swimming, free weights, yoga, and resistance exercises like push-ups, lunges, squats, and planks, which help you build muscle strength in your legs and abdomen that in turn protects your knees and back. These exercises help you to reduce your weight as well as strengthen your muscles and thereby prevent injuries.
Overburdened Joints
Always look for signs of swelling around joints and joint pain. Never neglect any pain in your joints. Pay heed to all your injuries, however insignificant they may seem. Some injuries cause you long-term structural imbalances in joints, which may take many years to heal. So avoid the activities which put more stress or pressure on your joints.
Stay Hydrated
The cartilage in the joints is made up of water. If you don’t have a good amount of water and stay dehydrated, your joints will be more prone to injuries. Always make sure you are well hydrated. Drinking water before, during, and after your workout is essential. If you are exercising outdoors, you should drink more water because you sweat heavily. You can check our list of best hydration packs on the market
The right way of Exercising to joint pain
Exercise in the right way because any wrong way of exercise will injure your joints. For example, while lifting a heavy object, keep in mind to use your legs and not your back for support. Even while running, remember to keep a proper running form. Avoid over-striding, which might cause you injuries. If you exercise or run correctly, you can avoid injuries.
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Best Workouts for an Overweight Person for Preventing Joint Pain and Injuries
Walking
Walking is the best exercise for everyone. This can be done anywhere. Walking helps you to improve mobility and strength in your lower body. If you are new to exercises, keep 30 minutes session for yourself initially. Walk for 10 minutes, take a break, and then run for 5 minutes. Once your fitness level increases, you can increase your speed and time of your walk and run, according to your capacity. Walking gives less impact on joints. Through walking, you avoid joint pain and injuries also. This is the safest form of exercise and also helps you to burn your calories and reduce your weight.
Aqua Jogging
Jogging in the water with the help of a swim belt or buoyancy belt is known as Aqua jogging. You get all the benefits of walking and running through Aqua Jogging without having any impact on your joints. While doing Aqua Jogging, your feet should not rest on the pool’s bottom; instead, you should move forward by moving your legs against the water. Gradually start in the shallow waters, and once your comfort level increases, step into the deeper waters.
Swimming
Swimming is the best form of cardio exercise. It improves your flexibility and strengthens your weak bones and even lessens the effect and pressure on joints. This also helps you to burn your calories.
Elliptical Training
Elliptical Training is also a form of cardio exercise. You lose the same amount of calories as a treadmill. With Elliptical Training, there is less chance of injuring your joints.
Weight and strength training
Your bone density is preserved through weight training and strength training. These pieces of training also strengthen your joints and even improves your muscle mass. Weight training builds up your skeletal muscles, which help you to run faster. Strength Training increases the flexibility of your joints. Through strength training, you will be able to burn your calories. This exercise improves your lean muscle mass, which helps you to run well. Strength Training helps you to run faster and longer. Keep at least two to three sessions of these in your weekly routine. This will strengthen the joints and prevent joint injuries. These should become an integral part of your workout.
Stretching
Stretching before and after a workout is very important. You should do at least ten minutes stretching before you start your exercise routine. Stretching helps to loosen the specific muscles during your physical activity. Stretching is like an exercise that targets one muscle group at a time. There are different types of stretching involved in exercises. According to your trainer’s guidance, you can do your stretching, which is comfortable for your body.
Recumbent Bike, Recumbent Cross Trainer, and Portable Peddler
Recumbent Bike and Recumbent Cross Trainers are the best way to reduce your weight or burn your calories without injuring your joints. These machines function like a stepper, which works on your upper and lower body. Also, they put less stress or pressure on your knee and joints. You can go for a Portable Peddler that is lighter on the budget if you don’t have a budget or spacious place for Recumbent Bike or Recumbent Cross Trainer. Portable Peddler is small in size and lightweight. You can peddle while sitting on your chair.
How to keep your bones healthy and avoid joint pain:
Calcium
Calcium should be an essential part of your diet. To have healthy joints and to have strong bones, you must consume a proper amount of calcium. You should have at least 1000 grams of calcium every day. You find calcium in green vegetables, curd, cheese, and milk. The intake of calcium every day will help you to avoid joint pains. E.g., you can have 300 milligrams of curd, 300 milligrams of milk, and 200 milligrams of cheese.
Vitamin D
This increases calcium absorption. You find Vitamin D in cereals, milk, crimini mushrooms, and salmon. You get Vitamin D through sunlight; also, if your skin is exposed to the sun, Vitamin D can be created.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Inflammatory foods cause Arthritis or joint pains. So try and avoid inflammatory foods. Foods such as sugar-sweetened beverages, junk food, processed food, fried food, frozen meals, etc. should be avoided to keep your bones and joints healthy. You should consume anti-inflammatory foods such as Cherries, Berries, Turmeric, Avocado, Olive oil, Dark chocolates and Cocoa, Fatty fish, Broccoli, Green tea, Peppers, Mushrooms, Grapes, Tomatoes, etc. Anti-inflammatory foods fight Inflammation and prevent joint-related diseases. These foods improve your joint health.
These are some of the most important things an overweight runner should follow to achieve your target without injuring your joints. After all, it is worth the effort as running is very healthy and will result in you staying fit always.
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