KEEPING GOOD JOINT HEALTH optimal joint function means your body moves correctly

When we take part in strength training we are not only strengthening and building muscle … we are also importantly, making our connective tissue stronger, encouraging perfect joint alignment and this creates and sustains a healthy joint.

With whatever exercise we decide to do we should always aim to be able to do it for the rest of our lives. We should be aiming to move optimally for as long as we can, having the confidence that we can be independent and support ourselves.

When we have GOOD MOBILITY = the range of movement in the joint. GOOD STABILITY = the joint being controlled during movement. GOOD STRENGTH = the joint being able to withstand stress optimally, we create a healthy joint.

When one joint is under stress or strain it will have a direct link to another joint, eventually leading to pain all over the body. When one joint is in pain, for example your ankle, this will put stress through the knee taking it out of alignment, causing muscular imbalance and pain then leading to the hip, up the spine to the shoulder leading to overall muscular imbalance reducing strength and then leading to postural issues and the increased risk of further injury.

Use progressive overload to strengthen the entire body and to build the joints to support your training and your life. Adding load to the body will increase the density of the connective tissues and help them sustain more stress.

When you’re training try to focus on how the movement feels in the joint, does it feel like a smooth movement or is it broken, do you feel stress or can you move freely.

Start to think about the mechanics work and visualise your body throughout the movement - develop your proprioception (self awareness).

- Women are at greater risk of joint injury than men - hormones and anatomy play a part in this

- Women are 8 TIMES more likely to suffer from a knee ACL injury then men

- Women are twice as likely to suffer from ankle sprains

- Joint weakness can lead to further stresses on the body and increases the risk of lower back/pelvic pain

- After having a baby our body hormones can lead to high joint injury risk - relaxin (hormones used to relax the joints of the pelvis to help with child birth) can lead to an increased range of joint movement - possibly leading to strains

- During your monthly cycle your hormones fluctuate - increased estrogen levels, leading to an increase in joint mobility, and when we are not strong in that range can lead to injury