Locations:
Search IconSearch

5 Best Ways to Safeguard Your Joints as You Age

Take steps now to keep them in good working order

elderly man with knee pain

If you’re like most people, you don’t think much about your joints until they start hurting.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

But your joints deserve attention long before they cause continuous discomfort. “Prevention really is the best medicine when it comes to joint pain,” says sports medicine physician Dominic King, DO.

Taking care of your joints early can help alleviate a number of issues that might otherwise plague you as you get older, issues that could have a profound impact not just on your mobility but on your overall health.

Here are five tips for safeguarding your joints — and the cartilage that supports them — as you age.

1. If you smoke, quit

Smoking and tobacco use are risk factors for everything from cardiovascular problems to cancer. Smoking can hamper your joints, too.

“Because smoking increases inflammation throughout your body, it can make it harder for your body to recover and heal from an injury,” Dr. King says.

Obviously, it’s not easy to give up smoking for good. But consider this: Within eight hours of quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal and the oxygen levels in your blood increase.

If you’re thinking about quitting, plan ahead and seek support to increase your chances of success.

2. Replace energy drinks and soda with water

Water makes up about 80% of your body’s cartilage (the flexible, connective tissue that cushions your joints). If you don’t stay well-hydrated, your body will pull water from cartilage and other areas, Dr. King says, which can wreak havoc on your joints.

Advertisement

His advice: Replace soda and energy drinks with water. This will help deliver better hydration to your joints and heart.

Not sure how much water you should consume? Listen to your body’s cues: Make sure you have water available at all times. When you feel thirsty, drink. And increase hydration during hot weather and when exercising.

3. Don’t let extra pounds overtax your joints

Your joints are meant to sustain a certain amount of force, Dr. King says. If you’re overweight or underweight, you’re likely putting more stress on your joints than you realize.

“If you’re overweight, each additional 10 pounds of weight you carry adds 20 to 39 pounds of force to each knee,” he says. “If you’re underweight, you lack the muscle bulk to keep your joints strong and stable.”

If your weight isn’t where you want it to be, enlist a physician’s or dietitian’s help in finding a healthy eating plan that works for you.

Consider an approach like the Mediterranean diet, which includes a hearty mix of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and healthy fats. This can help reduce inflammation and also protect your heart, Dr. King says.

Regular exercise can also improve your odds of maintaining a healthy weight. Dr. King’s favorites for reducing weight on your joints include:

  • Bicycling.
  • Pilates.
  • Swimming.
  • Walking in the shallow end of a pool.
  • Walking on a treadmill with no incline.
  • Yoga.

If you’re new to exercise, it’s best to work with a physical therapist. They can ensure that you’re healthy enough structurally to tolerate exercise, Dr. King says.

4. Always warm up and cool down

“A lot of people go straight from work to the gym,” Dr. King says. “Before stretching their muscles and warming up their joints, they get right on the treadmill.”

This can spell trouble because skipping your warm-up can put your joints at greater risk of strain and overloading, he says.

For best results, warm-up and cool-down exercises should last for about five minutes. Work with the same muscles you’ll use during exercise, but at a slower pace. Warming up is especially important as you age; older joints are often less resilient, Dr. King says.

Dynamic stretching is a particularly good way to warm up before activity because it mimics the movement you’ll be doing with exercise, like leg pendulums or walking lunges. These stretches also increase blood flow to muscles which reduces the resistance and increases their flexibility.

5. Listen to your body’s cues

Muscle soreness after exercise is one thing. Joint pain after exercise is another.

“If you get sore after exercise in a way that makes sense for the activity you did, and the soreness easily goes away, you’re probably OK,” says Dr. King. “But if you develop joint pain, it’s your body’s way of telling you something is wrong.”

Advertisement

That’s when it’s time to see a doctor. It may be something simple to correct, such as incorrect form. Or something more complex, such as early-onset osteoarthritis, may need to be addressed.

“We can’t prevent a disease or slow its progression until we know it’s there,” says Dr. King.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Hand massaging foot with bunion
November 29, 2024/Orthopaedics
Can You Shrink Bunions Naturally?

Wearing shoe inserts, maintaining a healthy weight and using cold or heat therapy may give you relief

Healthcare provider in physical therapy room helping person walk with a walker
November 22, 2024/Orthopaedics
Here’s What Happens After a Knee Replacement

Full recovery takes a year or more, but you’ll likely be walking and driving within a few weeks if you follow your provider’s recovery plan

Partners lying on bed playing with their toddler
November 19, 2024/Men's Health
What’s a Dad Bod? And Is It Healthy?

Weight gain is natural as we age — but it can be cause for concern

Bare feet of person standing on exercise mat, with one foot rolling on a roller
November 18, 2024/Orthopaedics
How To Stop Foot Pain From Standing All Day

Try stretching, massage, elevation and a supportive pair of shoes to help relieve foot aches and pains

Female looking at laptop at home desk in living room, hand on head, holding coffee cup, looking stressed
November 14, 2024/Women's Health
Midlife Crisis in Women: When It Starts and How To Cope

Biological changes, family issues and work problems may cause you to reevaluate your life and make changes for the better

Child on stepstool measuring the height of a male adult in doorway
November 6, 2024/Men's Health
When Do Men Stop Growing?

Most males usually stop growing by age 18, but some may continue growing into their 20s

Large hand with athlete-taped wrist and fingers gripping football on the field
October 16, 2024/Orthopaedics
Understanding the Concussion Protocol, From Little League to the NFL

Concussion protocol describes the steps needed to test for concussion and return to play — timelines vary

Couple raking leaves in their front yard by their house
October 16, 2024/Orthopaedics
Tips To Avoid Back Pain From Raking Leaves

Using proper form and the right equipment can help keep you injury-free while gathering up that colorful foliage

Trending Topics

Person touching aching ear, with home remedies floating around
Home Remedies for an Ear Infection: What To Try and What To Avoid

Not all ear infections need antibiotics — cold and warm compresses and changing up your sleep position can help

Infographic of foods high in iron, including shrimp, oysters, peas, cream of wheat, prunes, eggs, broccoli, beef and chicken
52 Foods High In Iron

Pump up your iron intake with foods like tuna, tofu and turkey

Person squeezing half a lemon into a glass of water
Is Starting Your Day With Lemon Water Healthy?

A glass of lemon water in the morning can help with digestion and boost vitamin C levels, and may even help get you into a better routine

Ad