Your joints' lubricating fluid allows your joints to move with more ease and less stress. To activate those juices, start your exercise routine with a gentle 5-10-minute warm-up and gradually increase your effort. Another good way to self-lube is drinking more water. Stretch regularly.
Consuming healthy fats can increase joint health and lubrication. Foods high in healthy fats include salmon, trout, mackerel, avocados, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds. The omega-3 fatty acids in these foods will assist in joint lubrication.
As you age, your cartilage -- the spongy material that protects the ends of your bones -- begins to dry out and stiffen. Your body also makes less synovial fluid, the stuff that acts like oil to keep your joints moving smoothly.
Stretching and exercises like yoga and Pilates can help keep your muscles long and limber, and can help when you're feeling sore, too. If your muscles are hurting, try RICE therapy and over-the-counter pain medicine. See your doctor if you're in a lot of pain.
Synovial fluid is a viscous solution found in the cavities of synovial joints. The principal role of synovial fluid is to reduce friction between the articular cartilages of synovial joints during movement.
Regular exercise, a healthy diet, nutritional supplements, and joint injections may all help improve or increase synovial fluid and decrease joint pain and inflammation.
Water helps to keep your joints lubricated and flexible; the Synovial fluid that directly lubricates your joints is made up primarily of water. This fluid reduces the friction between joints and helps to maintain healthy tissue and joints.
Magnesium is essential for the health of the muscles and it can be good for stiffness too. Magnesium is, first and foremost, very important in keeping the muscles flexible and moving efficiently.
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can cause or worsen neck and back pain and muscle spasm.
Sitting for long periods of time can cause your blood flow to slow down which may lead to stiffness in your muscles. This is because your muscles need oxygen and nutrients to function properly.
The natural lubricant of the joints is called hyaluronic acid (HA).
Heat and cold
Heat relaxes muscles and improves lubrication, leading to a reduction in stiffness. Use a hot water bottle or a warm pad. Ice, wrapped in a cloth, can reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling.
Glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3, and green tea are just a few of them. Glucosamine has been touted as an anti-inflammatory that helps keep the cartilage in joints healthy. Studies have shown some benefit for joint pain, but they are not conclusive. Natural glucosamine levels drop as people age.
Some have even tried spraying sore joints with WD-40 as they would to fix a squeaky, door hinge. But this folk remedy is not proven to work and may even be harmful. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates than can cause drying and irritation of the skin.
Walking lubricates your joints.
As you walk, the activity increases the circulation of synovial fluid, the thick liquid located between your joints that helps to lubricate it. This helps reduce pain that can occur with movement.
Movement can also help to keep ligaments and tendons flexible, which can help improve range of motion and hand function. Finally, exercise can increase the production of synovial fluid, which can also improve joint function.
Magnesium is essential for proper muscle function and acts to relieve tight, sore and cramped muscles. It controls muscle contraction and acts as a muscle relaxant.
It's simply because magnesium is responsible for muscle relaxation, and low levels of this mineral can prevent it from functioning correctly. The thing is, without much magnesium, your muscles may contract too much and cause symptoms such as cramps, muscle spasms/stiffness, pain and tightness.
Lemon water has several health benefits thanks to its high vitamin C concentration, flavonoid content, and acidity. Both flavonoids and vitamin C are strong antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory effects, therefore they may protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation in the body.
Get regular exercise
Some people worry that exercise causes or worsens joint problems. But there's truth to the old saying that “motion is lotion.” Adding exercise to your routine can keep your joints lubricated and healthy. Staying active may prevent or reduce joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation.