How to Lift Weights for Joint Pain
There is a commonly held belief that lifting weights contributes to joint pain. While it's true that lifting weights using poor form can injure joints and lead to pain, research shows that proper weight lifting can actually help to reduce joint pain from arthritis. When you strengthen your muscles, you take pressure off your joints. That helps to ease pain and improve function. To get the most benefit from weight-lifting, you need to employ proper technique. Here's how.
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Instructions
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Weight Training for Joint Health
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Warm up. Take time to warm up your muscles before lifting weights. Do at least five minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise. Walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike are both good options. Getting your muscles warm before lifting weights will help to prevent injuries.
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Don't overdo. Limit your strength training sessions to every two or three days. This gives your muscles time to recover and become stronger. If you lift weights too frequently, you break the muscles down instead of building them up, and this can lead to joint injuries and pulled muscles.
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Use lighter weights and do more repetitions of each exercise rather than doing a few reps with heavy weights. Heavy weights are more likely to strain your muscles and joints. Your objective is to build strength and flexibility without doing any damage to your joints, tendons, or muscles. More reps at a lighter weight will help you accomplish this goal.
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Enlist the help of a personal trainer for your first two or three sessions. Learning proper lifting form is very important. It will help you prevent injuries and get the most benefit out of each exercise you do. A personal trainer can show you proper form for a variety of different exercises and equipment. Even after you're lifting on your own, talk to a personal trainer before attempting any new exercises.
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Take a nutritional supplement that will support joint, bone, and muscle health. When you regularly lift weights, you're demanding more of your muscles, bones, joints, and tendons so you need to make sure they have the nutrients they need to rise to those demands. Look for a multivitamin that contains glucosamine, chondroitin, calcium, and magnesium to support your bones and joints. Look for a mix of amino acids to support your muscle development.
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Tips & Warnings
It's always a good idea to discuss a new exercise regimen with your doctor before beginning it.
