October is National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM), and this year the American Chiropractic Association and chiropractors nationwide are encouraging everyone to make a “Joint Effort” to support healthy joints and keep moving.
Our joints play an integral role in almost everything we do. They help us walk, bend, lift, work, exercise and enjoy the activities that matter most to us. When our joints are functioning well, we may barely notice them. But injury, repetitive stress, inactivity and the normal changes that occur with age can contribute to pain, stiffness and limitations in movement. Later in life, joint pain can severely inhibit movement, making people less able to work and live independently.
The good news is that there are things we can do every day to support joint health and function over a lifetime. This National Chiropractic Health Month, start with these healthy habits:
Stay Hydrated
Water is an important part of healthy joints. Joint cartilage, which helps cushion the ends of bones and absorb shock, is made largely of water. Staying adequately hydrated helps support cartilage and other tissues throughout the body.
Make water your beverage of choice throughout the day, and remember that your fluid needs may increase with physical activity, heat and other factors.
Stay Nourished
A balanced diet provides nutrients that support bones and the connective tissues in and around joints. Omega-3 fatty acids help regulate inflammation, vitamin C aids in collagen production, and calcium and vitamin D support bone health.
Aim for an overall healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy sources of protein and other nutrient-rich foods.
Move More
Joints make movement possible—and movement, in turn, is important for healthy joints. Moving a joint helps nutrients reach cartilage and surrounding tissues and helps maintain mobility.
You don’t necessarily need a strenuous workout to benefit. Walking, gardening, swimming, cycling, taking the stairs, and other normal activities you enjoy can all help you move more. If you’ve been inactive, start gradually and build from there.
Build Strength
Your joints don’t work alone. The muscles surrounding them provide support and help control how your body moves.
Regular strength-building activities can help maintain muscle and support long-term mobility. Strengthening the muscles around frequently used joints, such as the knees, hips, shoulders and spine, can be an important part of an overall joint-health plan.
Take Breaks
Long periods of sitting—particularly time spent in front of a screen—can leave you feeling stiff.
Change positions and move regularly throughout the day. Stand up, stretch or walk for a few minutes before returning to your task. If you tend to lose track of time while working, consider setting a timer to remind you to get up and move.
Even a few seconds can help you change position and give muscles and joints a break.
Make It a Micro
Can’t fit a long walk or workout into your day? Look for small opportunities to move instead. “Micro” breaks can help break up extended periods of sitting and add more movement to your day.
You can find numerous opportunities to integrate extra movement: Instead of emailing a colleague, walk down the hallway to their office. Park a little farther from your destination. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk a lap around the building or block after a bathroom break. When working from home, use short breaks to tackle a small household chore.
These small opportunities for movement can add up over the course of a day.
Lighten the Load
Maintaining a healthy weight can also help protect joints. Extra weight can increase the forces placed on weight-bearing joints and the spine and may contribute to pain and limitations in function.
Healthy eating and regular physical activity can work together to support both weight management and musculoskeletal health.
Stop Smoking
Here’s yet another reason to quit that some may not be aware of: Smoking can negatively affect the musculoskeletal system. It can reduce blood flow and interfere with the delivery of nutrients to tissues, including those that support healthy joints.
If you smoke and want to quit, talk with your chiropractor about resources that can help.
Get Your Rest
Healthy joints need recovery time, too. Sleep gives the body time to carry out important maintenance and repair processes involving tissues throughout the body.
Good sleep also supports overall physical and mental health, making adequate rest an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Make Joint Health a Lifelong Effort
Joint health isn’t determined by any single habit. Movement, strength, nutrition, hydration, healthy weight, sleep and avoiding tobacco all contribute to maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system.
Doctors of chiropractic can be part of that effort, too. Chiropractors provide an evidence-based, nondrug approach to musculoskeletal health. In addition to treating common musculoskeletal conditions and joint pain, chiropractors can help patients improve function and movement and offer guidance on exercise, ergonomics and other healthy lifestyle habits.
This National Chiropractic Health Month, make an effort to keep moving and take care of the joints that help you do it.
Follow the conversation about joint health on social media this October during National Chiropractic Health Month with the hashtag #JointEfforts.
Reviewed by the ACA Editorial Advisory Board. This information is for educational purposes. It is not a replacement for treatment or consultation with a healthcare professional. If you have specific questions, contact your doctor of chiropractic. To find an ACA chiropractor near you, click here.
Sources:
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
- Global Burden of Disease 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators. The Lancet Rheumatology. DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00098-X.
