Ease the ouch!

Changes to help keep your body pain-free

Do you ever wake up and feel a little more stiff than normal, or perhaps you suffer from occasional pains in your knees and/or wrists? If so, you’re one of the 10 million people in the UK who suffer from joint pain. And, although it’s often associated with ageing, it can affect people at all stages of life. So what really works to ease inflammation, swelling and stiffness? Our experts explain…

WHY DO MY JOINTS HURT?

Your joints are lined by a cushioning layer called cartilage. Most people assume that over time, the cartilage wears away and this is what causes the pain. But there’s more to it than that. ‘Through the normal knocks of life, cartilage suffers multiple small impacts and injuries that can cause it to become worn and thin, and the ends of bones can then rub together and cause pain,’ explains Dr Wendy Holden, consultant rheumatologist and Arthritis Action’s medical adviser. ‘This is

called osteoarthritis and, to some extent, this is related to age, but also injury.

‘While osteoarthritis can be seen on X-rays, there is little connection between the level of joint damage seen and the amount of pain felt.’

A factor to how much pain you feel in your joints is down to your lifestyle, as Jack March, physio and rheumatology clinical lead for Chews Health, explains. Although genetics do come into the equation, lifestyle changes can lessen our chances of pain.

‘People think of their bodies as machines – use them and you’ll wear them out. But if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,’ says Jack. This means that diet and exercise play one of the most important roles in joint health – and it’s never too late to make a difference.

‘I describe it as an ecosystem,’ says Jack. ‘You could have two joints which on an X-ray look as though they have the same amount of damage. But one person could have no pain and another could be in agony – this is down to the environment that the joint finds itself in.’

WATCH YOUR WEIGHT

Keeping your weight down is essential. This is because your BMI (Body Mass Index) combined with your waist circumference is one of the biggest predictors of osteoarthritis.

‘As a rule, if you have a BMI of more than 30 and much of the extra weight is round your abdomen, you’re at a much higher risk of joint problems,’ explains Jack. ‘It’s not to do with the extra load the joints have to bear, but because the fat cells cause extra inflammation in your body, which increases the pain in the joints.’

✢ Not sure of your BMI? Try the BMI calculator at nhs.uk

MOVE, IT

It’s vital to move regularly – and the key is to find an exercise that you enjoy.

‘Sitting down all week, then exercising like mad at the weekend isn’t enough,’ says Jack. ‘You need to be moving regularly – so by finding something you enjoy, whether it’s swimming, running or something else, you’ll find it easier to do on most days.

‘Exercise builds a tolerance in the joints to the force of your body weight. Also, while the body won’t make more cartilage to replace what it has lost, exercise makes the cartilage you have denser, so you get some of the shock absorption back. As well as that, if your muscles and tendons are stronger then they will take more of the force than your joints – a triple whammy of benefits.’ Dr Holden agrees. ‘Exercise to help the joints should be a combination of aerobic exercise for fitness, resistance exercises to improve strength around joints, stretching to improve flexibility, and balance exercises to improve coordination. Even gentle exercise such as chair yoga or tai chi can have important benefits on pain, as can exercise like walking or gardening.’

DIET

Inflammation is one of the biggest causes of pain – and eating the wrong foods can increase it. Conversely, choosing the right foods can reduce it.

‘Avoid foods high in sugar, and drinking too much,’ advises Linia Patel, dietitian, sports nutritionist and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. Here, she explains what you should be eating for your joints.

GO FOR FISH

It’s estimated that for every 1lb of excess weight, another 4-5lb passes directly through the hips, knees and feet.

Oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon, are high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which may be beneficial for reducing inflammation linked with painful joints. The fatty acid EPA is converted to substances that help to control inflammation. Walnuts and flaxseed are good vegetarian sources of omega-3.

EAT A RAINBOW

Veg and fruit are high in vitamin C, an essential component of collagen which keeps joints healthy. Each colour in the ‘rainbow’ provides different natural anti-inflammatory chemicals called phytochemicals, linked to reducing inflammation. Dark green leafy veg rich in antioxidants are also associated with this property, while broccoli contains sulforaphane, which helps relieve pain.

SPICE IT UP

Spices, like turmeric, ginger and cayenne, can be great additions to food as they’ve anti-inflammatory properties.