3 Things That You Can Do to Reduce Joint Pain

The cartilage that protects your joints wears down as you get older. Your muscles and tendons get stiffer. Your body doesn’t heal quickly from injury, leaving you with lingering aches and pains. This is why so many seniors suffer from joint problems.

How can you make sure that your joints don’t hurt so much? Here are three solutions that are bound to make a difference.

Renovate Your Space

There are so many things in your living space that could be triggering your joint pain and increasing your risk of injury. If you’re hoping to get better control over your flare-ups, you need to make some home improvements:

• Take away tripping hazards like rugs, doormats, extension cords, and more
• Choose joint-friendly flooring options so that you don’t put extra stress on your ankles, hips, and knees.
• Replace twist doorknobs with levers
• Replace twist sink taps with levers or motion-sensor options
• Install handrails and grab rails along staircases and walls
• You can consider getting stairlifts for indoor staircases
• Replace outdoor steps with accessible ramps

One way to guarantee that your living-space is accessible and easy on the joints is to move to a top of the line senior nursing home. A nursing home like All Seniors Care will have spacious suites with a long list of accessibility and security features, including walk-in showers, grab rails, and emergency pull cords. Their 24/7 nursing staff and on-site physicians can offer more attention and care in case you need it. If renovations are too much of a hassle, moving to a comfortable nursing home is an excellent solution.

Exercise More

When you have chronic joint pain, you won’t be enthusiastic about putting on your sneakers and doing a workout. But you should try to stay active because it will help you build stronger muscles, reduce inflammation, and increase your energy levels. Inactivity will only make joint pain worse as time goes on.

To make things easier, you should try low-impact exercises that won’t put stress on your joints and make you regret getting off of the couch. Do a workout every day if you can manage it.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Cutting your essential sleep hours — between 7 and 8 hours — will do more than make you sluggish and miserable, it will make your aches and pains much worse. Getting restful sleep every single night is essential for reducing inflammation and the problems that come with it. If you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep, you should try some of these tips to help you doze off:

• Commit to a bedtime routine every single night
• Avoid caffeinated drinks in the evening
• Avoid alcohol close to your bedtime
• Turn off your phone, computer, or TV at least an hour before bed
• Keep your bedroom temperature cool
• Get soft, comfortable bedding, blankets, and pillows
• Unwind before bed with meditation, reading, or another relaxing activity
• Take melatonin supplements

Your joint pain may not disappear — but it doesn’t have to follow you around 24/7 and stop you from enjoying the things that you love. These three lifestyle changes can make sure that sore wrists and aching knees won’t hold you back.