Keep Your Muscles Strong to Avoid Knee Or Other Joint Pain

As we get older we tend to reduce our activity levels as body parts like knees stiffen and can even hurt just doing simple things like walking, climbing stairs or bending over. Yet becoming less active is the very worst thing that you can do as the strength of the muscles is what takes the load off aging joints.

Becoming less active may reduce the discomfort in the short term but increases muscle weakness which worsens the problem in the long term. A downward spiral of less and less activity results in increased disability and joints become even less stable and their ability to carry a load is reduced.

One of the main reasons joints get sore is the loss of muscle mass. We used to believe that this was because of the aging process but we now know it is because of a lack of muscle building and maintaining activity. With this loss the joints - instead of the muscles - absorb more of the shock and pounding from daily living. This contributes to damage and more pain.

With the loss of muscle tissue the metabolism also drops allowing excess body fat to accumulate which further adds a greater load to unsupported joints. This is especially true for knees which need to support body weight. This erodes the cartilage creating more problems and pain.

Yet the solution is so simple. Get yourself started on a program of strength training exercise and get all of your muscles strong and healthy. This will reduce excess body weight and take some of the load off those failing joints.

You need to understand that you have to take action to keep your strength even more so as the years pass by. If you don't 'use it you lose it'. That old saying is never truer when it comes to the muscles that support your skeleton and allow you to move freely and easier without pain.

The only exercise that will strengthen your muscles is proper strength training exercise. Low intensity endurance type activity like walking, jogging or cycling won't do this so don't make the mistake of thinking that this is all you need to do to work your muscles. Those activities are recreational and can do them after you have done your proper exercises 2-3 times each week.

So, if your knees hurt and you are starting to avoid doing things you used to be able to do easily get along to your local gym or fitness center and they will help you get started on a program that will have you active and able to get the full enjoyment out of your life again.