As we grow older, we may be experiencing joint pain. Many elements could play a part in this such as lifestyle or past injuries. However, one thing that will always be factor is the degradation of our bones. Our skeletons go through a process called ossification, which is the process breaking down and rebuilding our skeleton. When we are young and our skeletons are still developing, the rate in which our bones build greatly surpasses the break down. After our bones have fully matured, the rate in which our skeleton rebuilds slows down but the rate in which our bones break down doesn't not. This may create some complications later in life. Currently there is no way to stop our bones weakening over time but we can stall the process. The only way to increase the rate in which our bones regenerate is by placing our bones under resistance. Have you ever heard about astronauts suffering from loss of bone mass coming back from missions? This is most likely due to the lack of gravity. Because there is no tension constantly being placed on their bones, their bodies don't regenerate their skeletons as normally as they would. Some extreme cases would result in osteoporosis where the bones become weak and brittle. Weight training can be a great activity that aid in this. Safely putting you bones under resistance could attribute to the rate in which our bones regenerate. Muscles act in a similar fashion where they need to be put under tension in order to grow and strengthen.
Anatomy
In relation to our joint health, weight training can help strengthen the bones and muscles around our joints which can help stabilize and reduce or prevent pain
What Does This Mean For Our Joints
Safety and Risk
Like any sport, weight training has a risk of injury, especially with one’s joints. Safety precautions are encouraged when preforming any physical activities. Some safety precaution includes:
Practicing Proper Form
In many exercises, specifically compound movements such as dead lifts, we see many people performing it incorrectly. This could be associated with joint pain/wear, especially with heavier weight. Let's use squatting as an example. If squats are done improperly they could cause a lot of strain in your knees. An example of an improper squats is the person performing the exercise having the incorrect posture. This could play a major factor in the risk for injury. If the athlete has an exaggerated extension of the back, it puts the bars away from the center of gravity of the body, and causes unnecessary strain on the knees. Other lifts can cause joint problems as well if done improperly. Another example would be flaring out the elbows while bench pressing which causes stain in the shoulder joint. It important to main proper form in order to continue lifting safely and prevent stressing the joints.
Programming Well
Programming is pretty subjective. Each person should have a exercise prescription that caters to one current fitness level and desired goals. Everyone's body is different but one must take into consideration the amount of time one’s body needs for recovery, especially for newer lifters. Training too heavy too often is a common issue that can cause problems with the joints. Imagine an athlete training a lift and attempting to max out five times a week every week. This puts a lot of load on the body and they may not be giving themselves sufficient time to recover, even for more experienced lifters. Not only do you take a toll on your CNS, you could also over fatigue the muscles and bones, especially around your joints, which could play a factor to one's joint pain which would be counterproductive. Having a balance program and training all major muscle groups is also important. This would keep your body overall equally developed and prevent significant muscular imbalances that could lead to complications that may affect your joints negativity.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the most important and yet most overlooked process of good lifting habits. Stretching prepares the muscles to perform activities which may reduce the likelihood of injury. It puts joints in motion which lubricates them which reduces friction that occurs in the joint capsules. It also properly warms up the muscles which allows for more dynamic movement and reduces risk of overly staining them.
Treatment or Prevention
Weight training can be a tool to improve your current health condition and even prevent complications from developing. Arthritis is a common condition of the joints that generally develop over the lifespan of a person. According to official website for the organization of arthritis, "Lifting weights or resistance training offers numerous benefits to help manage arthritis pain. Exercise keeps muscles around the affected joints strong, lubricates joints, decreases bone loss and helps control joint swelling and pain".* Lifting can also prevent osteoporosis by promoting bone growth and strength, especially in the joints. Overall weight training can be a great benefit to aiding joint pain and preventing negative conditions of the joints