Ones bones spend time in a lot of joints. Knee joints. Hip joints. The joints in your fingers and the joints in your feet. Anywhere bones connect, there is also cartilage, a rubbery, protective layer of which makes certain your joints bend properly and painlessly. However even cartilage cannot do this remarkable job on it's own. A thin membrane known as the synovium supplies fluid that lubricates the moving portions of the joint. When the cartilage wears out, the synovium gets inflamed, the end result is usually a case of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage could be worn away so much that bone will rub on bone. This form of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime as a simple consequence of the wear and tear put on your joints through the years. Hardly any individuals escape some extent of osteoarthritis, though the intensity can vary a whole lot.

As a matter of fact, if you are older than 50, it's likely you'll have at least one joint affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis strikes men and women equally and is also quite possibly the most common type of joint disease, with virtually 16 million Americans in the list.

In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at the foundation of trouble. Physicians and experts are not absolutely sure why it happens, but a majority think that rheumatoid arthritis is really a disease in which the immune system basically attacks certain tissues in the body, including those that connect the joints as well as the synovium.

Rheumatoid arthritis starts with swollen, red, stiff, and painful joints, but it may progress until eventually scar tissue forms in the joint or, in extraordinary instances, until the bones actually fuse together. Nearly 75% of the 2 million individuals with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States tend to be females. The disease can attack as early as teen years.

Exercising Your Prevention Options

Investing a short amount of time in developing a good weight-bearing low-impact workout and stretching plan can add up to fantastic results in the case of staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help safeguard the joints from wear and tear, and the mobility keeps joints flexible.

For this reason the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are 50 years and over. However, most Americans over 50 continue to be right where they always were sitting back and observing other people jog by. The majority of them claim that that's just for people who happen to be athletic all their life, or some declare working out is for young people and engaging into exercise can do them more harm than good.

Presently there are still some who insist on excusing themselves in exercise routines simply because they do not have time or they have less energy than ever before. These are all lame reasons. That's why, it is time to start to eliminate those aches and pains. Start exercising.

Accordingly, preventing arthritis is not an exact science, nevertheless physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk. Here is how:

1. Drop that additional fat

The single most important solution anyone can take to avoid osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they're overweight. Excess weight applies further stress on your knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, by way of example, you place 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees whenever you take a step. That extra stress can slowly but surely deteriorate the cartilage inside your knees, resulting in arthritis.

A study has clearly backed the theory that weight loss weighs in on the side of prevention. In the study, overweight women who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period reduced their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is great providing you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to a number of the professors of clinical medicine in New York City.

Attempt to maintain a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any kind of exercise, especially running and walking. However it is also a smart idea to stretch daily. Ask your doctor to show you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Have a good lengthy walk at the very least three times a week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact workout for maximum results. There's no proof that running is detrimental for the joints, but don't forget, it may magnify an injury if you already have one. Remember to check with your physician before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful practices, exercise is the most important. This is because individuals are designed to be active. That's why, it really is important for people to exercise in order to remain healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Clearly understand that the unexercised body, even if free from the signs and symptoms of health issues or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential. Therefore, start doing exercises right now!