Getting older is not for the feint-hearted!
Aches and pains, the feeling that you have been hit by a ton of bricks, morning stiffness – you know all about that!
But is it inevitable?
Aches and pains… something we wish wasn’t there but something most of us have experienced at some point. Why is it that after a good night of sleep, you can wake up feeling like you have been hit by a ton of bricks? Morning stiffness is common as one gets older… but is it inevitable?
There are many types of pain and many reasons why we experience pain. We are going to look at some of the things that can exacerbate joint pain and some common ways to alleviate this. The most important thing one must do is to determine the root cause of the pain, as different causes will have different treatments. Lets start by looking at some of the common causes of stiffness:
Inactivity
General inactivity leads to muscle weakness and poor flexibility. This places extra strain on the joints which causes pain.
Poor sleep
Interrupted sleep, getting too much or too little seep, can make us feel groggy or out of sorts the next day, our body is not nourished enough to move well, we can experience discomfort or pain.
Overweight
Excess weight puts extra strain on our joints. Simply put, the more load the joint has to bear, the more likely we are to experience injury, degeneration or pain.
A cold or damp environment
If one is sleeping in an area that is cold or damp, that will cause tensing during sleep and the cold will stiffen the joints.
Prolonged stillness
When we are still for long periods (sleeping/ sitting), the fluid in our joints moves to where gravity tells it and the joints aren’t lubricated evenly.
Chronic Condition
Such as Arthritis will cause the joints to degenerate and this causes pain.
So now that we know some of the things that cause us to be stiff… how do we counterbalance this and relax our stiff muscles
Stretch
Here are some stretches to do in the morning before you get out of bed to help blood flow to the stiff area. (Please be careful if you have a condition that could be made worse with these movements. If you are unsure please consult your doctor first)
Don’t rush to get up
Stay in bed and get your muscles moving. Remember to always move in the morning and do not rush out of bed. Your muscles have had a good night of sleep and need to be woken up gently.
Have a warm shower
Warmth will further relax those stiff muscles. Further, especially in winter, use heat packs or a heater to keep the environment war
Eat breakfast
Your muscles need nutrition and energy to work to their best
Move your body – Exercise!
Not only when you wake up, but on a regular basis so that the joints stay loose and the muscles are strong.
You may not be able to avoid morning stiffness altogether, but keeping fit and strong will decrease the time it takes for the stiffness to dissipate in the morning and leave you feeling stronger all round. Hopefully if we understand what is causing our stiffness, we can begin to treat it.
At Silver Fit we work to combat stiffness
and be strong, stable and independent.
For more information and to see what we do,
please get in touch, we would love to hear from you:
www.silverfit.co.za/join-us
(011) 481 4964
info@silverfit.co.za
Articles that will be of interest:
https://youve-earned-it.co.za/site/silverfit/