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How to protect joints and ligaments during workouts?
Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer. All articles by the author ➤
Many people who train regularly occasionally or constantly complain about various kinds of pain in both the joints themselves and the surrounding tendons. The most common pain points are the knees, elbows, shoulders, and back. Of course, if you train seriously for a long time, you won’t be able to avoid such pain 100%. However, there are a number of quite simple measures that can significantly reduce the frequency of these pains. This will be discussed below. Causes of Joint InjuriesRegarding the joints, most pain arises from the mechanical wear of the cartilage layer. Consequently, the joint becomes inflamed and painful when under load. The wear (degeneration) of the cartilage layer and the joint is a rather lengthy process. It largely depends on how well it is lubricated internally with synovial fluid. Everyone knows that the more lubrication there is, the less friction force is present, and the less wear occurs on the parts that rub against each other. This rule applies not only in mechanisms but also in the human body, as our body, from a biomechanical perspective, is a set of interconnected levers. So how can this cause be addressed? Clearly, you need to encourage the joints to "store" more lubrication. This can be done in two ways. Methods of Protecting Joints1. Taking supplements that have the effect of retaining water in the body. This includes most anabolic steroids and some adrenal hormones (for example, dexamethasone). As you can see, these are all hormonal medications. I would strongly advise against their use for amateurs, as aside from water retention, you may experience many negative side effects. 2. Consuming a dietary supplement like creatine. This also causes water retention in the body, approximately 1 to 1.5 liters. It does provide improved lubrication of the joints, but to a much lesser extent than hormonal medications. 3. A thorough warm-up before training. During the warm-up, in response to physical activity and mechanical movement in the joints, blood flow to the adjacent tissues improves, and more lubrication is produced in the joint itself. This prepares your joints for work and helps reduce wear during training. 4. Using knee pads, elbow pads, and other supports for various body parts. All such supports are made from dense warming fabric (for example, neoprene). Therefore, they keep the joint warm during training, which again contributes to better blood flow and lubrication of the joint. In general, I consider the third option to be the main and fundamental way to protect the joints. You cannot take creatine year-round, nor can you stay on anabolic steroids indefinitely. And, for amateurs, there is no need for that. Therefore, always ensure to properly warm up your body and joints. A good warm-up takes about 10 minutes. Joint injuries can be quite common, and one of the primary causes of ligament injuries is excessive tension and overload. Tendons and ligaments are fundamentally the same; ligaments connect two bones, while tendons attach muscles to bones. Therefore, everything mentioned below applies equally to both tendons and ligaments. In the vast majority of cases, injury to a tendon should be understood as a strain. Rarely, it may be a tear. In very rare cases (which usually does not concern amateurs), the tendon can completely detach from the bone or a ligament may rupture. When a ligament is strained, a pulling pain appears near the joint during movements that require a large range of motion. Generally, a person can perform the exercise despite the pain, but this will only increase the discomfort. Because in such a scenario, neither the tendon nor the ligament can heal properly. A ligament strain occurs when the force stretching the ligament exceeds the strength of the ligament itself and its ability to stretch. In other words, the less elastic your ligaments are, the easier it is to stretch or even tear them. This is particularly common during exercises involving a large range of motion or during abrupt movements. Ways to Protect LigamentsClearly, you should either improve the elasticity of your tendons or make them stronger. This will make it harder to stretch them. It is even better to work on both fronts. So, what should you do? 1. Always perform stretching before your workout. Stretching will improve the elasticity of your ligaments during your training. If you stretch regularly, the elasticity will gradually improve over time. 2. Take supplements that strengthen and reinforce your ligaments. These are based on chondroitin, glucosamine, collagen, and omega-3 fatty acids. They are available in pharmacies and sports nutrition stores, and they are completely safe. 3. Avoid abrupt movements when performing exercises. In the vast majority of strength exercises, such sudden movements are completely unnecessary. In sports that involve many abrupt movements (for example, weightlifting), athletes stretch for 15-20 minutes before each training session! What to Do If You’re Already Experiencing Pain?If you already have pain in a joint or tendon, you should:
Preventing Joint PainThere are sports nutrition products that protect our joints, reduce pain, and decrease the rate of joint wear. If you experience pain or discomfort in any of your joints, it makes sense to incorporate them into your routine. These can be individual substances:
And there are also complex formulations:
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