As any athlete ages, they begin to feel the effects of their workouts not only in their muscles but in their joints as well. And sometimes that joint pain is what stays around for days to come, almost making it unbearable to want to get back out there and put work in your routine again. Thankfully there are ways to treat this common struggle- both with medicines, changes in diet, changes in workout routines, and added accessories to wear during your workouts. But what causes joint pain?
Joint pain is usually injury or inflammation arising from any part of a joint — including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons or muscles. As your age increases and the collagen that builds cartilage in your joints start to deteriorate, aches and pains are more likely to occur. Often, however, joint pain refers to arthritis or arthralgia, which is inflammation or pain from within the joint itself. These can arise from running on a surface that it too hard and doesn’t give any additional cushion for each impact, or from poor form performing a lifting move meticulously, or even it’s just good ole genetics.
Fear not! Here are some natural remedies to help you get back on your feet:
Tart Cherry Juice: Fights inflammation and arthritis pain do to it’s high in antioxidant properties.
Epsom Salt Baths: These salts are easily absorbed through the skin to provide quick relief as they lower inflammation, reduce muscle spasms and relax the body.
Omega-3 fatty acids: The acids are found in foods like cold-water fish, chia seeds, and walnuts – great for helping to lower inflammation in the body and increasing blood circulation.
Ginger Tea: Not only is it tasty, it’s not for its anti-inflammatory properties and digestion improving qualities.
Braces: Knee, ankle, wrist, back, or shoulder braces can help give joints alleviation. By wearing one of these it helps lessen your chances of causing greater injury to the afflicted area.
Turmeric: Adding a teaspoon of turmeric to your coffee of tea can help reduce inflammation due to the large amounts of enzymes found in this herb.
Swimming: Changing up your workout routine and bringing it to the pool can really assist in alleviating the pressures off your joints with lack of impacted movements. Water running has become a popular method for training over the years, especially for athletes that had experienced injuries.
There are many routes to go when it comes to limiting inflammation. Be sure to consult with your doctor first to ensure you have no allergies to any of the remedies and to be sure you don’t have a more serious injury.
