Month: April 2021

15 Bad Habits Killing Your Joints – What to Do Instead:

1. Wearing high-heels.

2. Too much texting – Use voice text instead.

3. Sleeping on your stomach – our joints don’t like to be at end-range for an extended length of time. When you sleep on your stomach, your neck is at end-range for an extended length of time.

4. Not stretching enough – for stretching, do go to end-range, but not for an extended length of time.

5. Not getting enough restful sleep.

6. Smoking – smoking decreases the blood flow to the bones and the discs between the joints.

7. Not strengthening your muscles enough – when you strengthen your muscles, your bones thicken and prevents against osteoporosis as well.

8. Being overweight.

9. Always carrying a bag on the same side.

10. Poor back posture, such as a rounded-out posture. Keep the S-curve in your back.

11. Using tools that vibrates or produces a lot of stress (e.g. hand tools and garden tools, etc.), especially if you have arthritis.

12. Being on the computer too much, especially if you have poor posture.

13. Having poor form throughout the day (due to poor habits), e.g. standing on one leg, leaning on one side when sitting, or sitting on your ankle, etc.

14. Not moving enough. Joints love movement, even arthritic joints love movement.

15. Using smaller joints – avoid using your smaller joints whenever possible. e.g. a. When picking up a box, use your palms, instead of your fingers. b. Use your palm to open a jar, instead of using your fingers.

• a. Chin Tuck: Hold for 3 – 5 seconds.
• b. Shoulder (Scapular) squeezes: squeeze your shoulder blades together. Don’t squeeze up, squeeze down & back – for 5 to 10 times.
• c. Posture Correction Brace: not for long-term use. Use it as how you would put on a backpack – to prevent your shoulders from rolling forwards.
• d. Use a resistance band. Wrap the band around your feet. Have a thumbs up and elbows close to your sides. Then do your shoulder (scapular) squeezes again. Go nice, slow, and controlled movements. Start with 10 – 15 times.
• e. Stretch out your pec (chest) muscles: Take your hands and clasp them behind your back. Push down and out, and at the same time, push your chest down. Hold for 30 seconds, relax, and the repeat. Do for a total of 3 times.

• Do not stand with your knees locked. Bend your knees a little bit when you stand.
• Do not stand on one leg. Alternate. Place inserts in your shoes (squishy kind).
• Have a high stool, and have a half-sit, half-stand – Sit-Stand Station.
• If you sit a lot – every half an hour, bend your knees.
• If you sit a lot – have your knees bent at 90 degrees (not more than 90 degrees). Healthy for your knees and your back as well. Do 5 fast kicks every half an hour. Kick them out as straight as you can, and hold for a second. – A little bit of stretch, and a little bit of strengthening.
• If you sit in Lotus position for too long, then you can get back pain, and knee pain.
• If you sit in Frog position, then you can get knee pain.
• Don’t kneel for too long.
• Walking – take shorter strides. When heel strikes occur, it puts a lot of stress on the knee joints. Hit on the forefoot, or forefoot & backfoot at the same time. Get cushioned-shoes as well.
• Sleeping – don’t have legs straight all night long. Have a wedge below your knees. Or some pillows under your knees. Put the pillows between your knees if you sleep on your side.