Walk, don't run: swim, don't play volleyball
Low-impact activities with smooth movements can keep joints flexible,
functional and pain-free. sports and exercises such as stretching,
swimming, water aerobics, cycling, walking on a treadmill or outside and
playing golf fit the bill. Those that require back, high-impact jumps,
twists and turns - such as tennis and other racquet sports and
volleyball-don't.
Try ibuprofen gel instead of tablets A recent comparative study at Queen Mary, University of London, assessed 585 patients aged over 50 with chronic knee pain and showed that anti-inflammatory gels or creams worked just as well as tablets a finding that surprised many doctors. What's more, the gel - which is rubbed onto the area over the pain,so that it acts primarily on the part affected, with far less being absorbed into the bloodstream-had few side effects. In contrast, those taking tablets were prone to side effects such as indigestions, increased blood pressure or an exacerbation of asthma.
Wet heat helps A 'thermographic' heating pad (the type that makes 'wet' heat); a hot shower; or even hot, wet towels applied to any achy point can loosen it up. Do easy stretching exercises as the pain subsides to restore a comfortable range of movement and ease stiffness.
Try supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin Capsules with glucosamine (a sugar extracted from shellfish) and chondroitin sulphate (a carbohydrate taken from animal cartilage) cut joint pain by 20 percent or more in a landmark study of 1,583 women and men with arthritis. Nearly 80 percent of those with moderate to severe arthritis got some relief. Both substances appear naturally in human cartilage and seem to work by boosting cartilage repair and increasing joint lubrication.
Watch your paracetamol dose Easy on your gastrointestinal system, paracetamol tablets are safe and effective as long as you sick to the recommended dose. That's 500-1,000mg- usually one or two tablets-every 4 to 6 hours. But just twice this amount can be dangerous, so never take more than the recommended amount, and check labels on other remedies that could contain paracetamol to make sure you are not accidentally taking too much. Never take more than 4,000mg (usually eight tablets) in 24 hours.
Ask your GP about capsaicin cream The same compound-called capsaicin - that lends hot peppers their fiery heat can help to manage pain. Scientists think it eases pain by using up a chemical inside the nerve cells called substance P, which helps to deliver pain signals to the brain. It's available on prescription for osteoarthritis, so if you have persistent joint pain, ask your GP whether capsaicin cream (Zacin) could help.
Rub in some arnica Arnica is a herbal remedy traditionally used in creams and gels to ease the pain of brushing, swelling and sore muscles. In a recent study of patients with osteoarthritis of the hands, arnica gel was shown to be as effective as ibuprofen gel in relieving pain and stiffness.
Give acupressure a try This ancient Chinese healing art uses thumb and fingertip pressure to stimulate energy flow within the body. It works better than physical therapy at easing lower-back pain, according to a recent Taiwanese study of 129 women and men with chronic pain. For the study, 64 volunteers had six acupressure sessions, and 65 had physical therapy. When researchers checked up on them six months later, the acupressure group had 89 percent less pain and disability than the other group. They took fewer days off from work or school, too.
To relieve muscle pain
Keep on exercising Experts have a name for the general pain you feel the day after you overexert yourself: delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. It turns out if you were a little overzealous playing, working, exercising or even gardening, the best remedy the day after is to get moving again. Staying active works the painful chemical by-products of overexertion out of your muscle tissue and keeps muscle fibres flexible so they can't tighten up and remain sore. Light exercise helps sore muscles to heal so you'll have less pain next time.
Use ice for strains and sprains Keep a cold pack, a bag of frozen sweetcorn or peas, or paper cups filled with a few inches of water in the freezer. If it's been less than 48 hours since your injury, rub the ice in a cup over the sore muscle or 'ice it down' by wrapping the frozen veg or cold pack in a clean kitchen towel and placing it over the area. Cold compresses reduce swelling and inflammation and relieve pain. Apply for 10 minutes, remove for 10 minutes, then apply for another ten; this strategy helps to protect older, thinner skin from being damaged by the ice. But skip the process if you have blood-flow issues, diabetes or Raynaud's syndrome, or if you are highly sensitive to cold.
Stretch and prop If all you have is mild soreness, movement and light exercise are the right remedies. But more sever pain is your body's signal to stop moving around or putting weight on an injured muscle. If you sense that your soreness crosses that line, stay off your feet or avoid using an injured arm for the first day or so. If you've injured a muscle in a hip or leg, keep it raised above groin level with pillows or folded blankets. This helps your body to reabsorb fluid sent into the area and reduces swelling. Make sure an injured arm is supported, not hanging down, for the same reasons.
After two to three days, add homemade heat Warmth relaxes tight, sore muscles and relieves pain. Fill an old knee sock or long tube sock three quarters full of raw white rice, tie off the open end tightly with a rubber band and microwave it for 2 minutes. Lay it over a sore spot or use it to massage gently a healing muscle that feels tight. This do-it-yourself hot pack is reusable and works for muscle cramps as well. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves or dried lavender buds for a spicy scent.
Stash stick-on heating pads in your medicine cabinet and glove compartment Single-use heat
Pain is inevitable, Chronic, debilitating pain is not. No matter what your age, health or situation, there are always ways to treat ongoing pain
wraps stick on right over the sore spot are great for fast relief - and they come in shapes and sizes that fit particular high-ache areas perfectly. Inside are chemicals that warm up when the package is opened and they're exposed to air. The low-level heat is safe to use for up to 8 hours, sometimes longer.
Or soak it Sink into a warm tub, Jacuzzi or whirlpool bath and add 15 drops of relaxing lavender essential oil or muscle-warming ginger essential oil to the water along with half a cup of Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts. (This is great for muscle cramps, too.)
Treat yourself to a rubdown Try this on a warm muscle a few days an injury: rub the length of the muscle, moving from the point farthest from your heart towards the point closest to your heart. Research shows that post-exercise and post-injury massage can reduce pain and speed healing. It can reduce inflammation, too.
Listen to your body Never push through pain or fatigue. The truth is, tired, stressed muscles are injury-prone. Pay attention when your arms or legs feel fatigued or your back feels tight. These are signs that it's time to rest and relax. Pushing too hard could lead to cramps and pulled muscles.
Check your 'D' supply A vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle weakness, aches, pains and even balance problems. Skin produces D in the presence of sunlight, but older skin makes less-and virtually no one (of any age) living in the UK gets enough from sunshine during the winter months, anyway-the rays are too weak. Older people need at least 600-800 IU of vitamin D a day, and some experts say 1,000 IU would be even smarter. You can't get that much every day from food, so add up the amount in your multivitamin and take a supplement to cover any shortfall.
Muscle cramps? Fight them with this breakfast bowlful Low levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium-which act as massage-carrying electrolytes in your body-can raise your odds to having sudden, painful muscle cramps. Get more of all three important minerals by spooning up some whole-grain cereal with milk and sliced banana at breakfast and by taking a multivitamin. And drink plenty of water throughout the day, since cramping can also be a sign of dehydration.
To reduce back pain
Get up and move Once, experts (as well as know-it-all relatives) said that bed rest was best for bad backs. Not any more. Study after study shows that movement helps to keep muscles supple and boosts circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to heal strained spots. Don't expect to play tennis tomorrow, do expect that after a brief rest, you'll rise and go about as much of your daily routine as possible, taking it as easy as you need to.
Then stretch and strengthen Add in stretching and gentle strengthening exercises, too. After a few weeks, start doing easy abdominal exercises like those in our three full-life fitness routines (see on FULL LIFE FITNESS ROUTINES-REPAIRING THE PAST). These will strengthen your core- the 'inner corset' of muscles that steadies your spine. (Go easy on back exercises, though. One study found that walking provided more relief.) Aim to exercise for roughly half an hour, five days a week-it doesn't matter whether you walk, swim, do aerobics or participate in some other activity you enjoy.
Try ibuprofen gel instead of tablets A recent comparative study at Queen Mary, University of London, assessed 585 patients aged over 50 with chronic knee pain and showed that anti-inflammatory gels or creams worked just as well as tablets a finding that surprised many doctors. What's more, the gel - which is rubbed onto the area over the pain,so that it acts primarily on the part affected, with far less being absorbed into the bloodstream-had few side effects. In contrast, those taking tablets were prone to side effects such as indigestions, increased blood pressure or an exacerbation of asthma.
Wet heat helps A 'thermographic' heating pad (the type that makes 'wet' heat); a hot shower; or even hot, wet towels applied to any achy point can loosen it up. Do easy stretching exercises as the pain subsides to restore a comfortable range of movement and ease stiffness.
Try supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin Capsules with glucosamine (a sugar extracted from shellfish) and chondroitin sulphate (a carbohydrate taken from animal cartilage) cut joint pain by 20 percent or more in a landmark study of 1,583 women and men with arthritis. Nearly 80 percent of those with moderate to severe arthritis got some relief. Both substances appear naturally in human cartilage and seem to work by boosting cartilage repair and increasing joint lubrication.
Watch your paracetamol dose Easy on your gastrointestinal system, paracetamol tablets are safe and effective as long as you sick to the recommended dose. That's 500-1,000mg- usually one or two tablets-every 4 to 6 hours. But just twice this amount can be dangerous, so never take more than the recommended amount, and check labels on other remedies that could contain paracetamol to make sure you are not accidentally taking too much. Never take more than 4,000mg (usually eight tablets) in 24 hours.
Ask your GP about capsaicin cream The same compound-called capsaicin - that lends hot peppers their fiery heat can help to manage pain. Scientists think it eases pain by using up a chemical inside the nerve cells called substance P, which helps to deliver pain signals to the brain. It's available on prescription for osteoarthritis, so if you have persistent joint pain, ask your GP whether capsaicin cream (Zacin) could help.
Rub in some arnica Arnica is a herbal remedy traditionally used in creams and gels to ease the pain of brushing, swelling and sore muscles. In a recent study of patients with osteoarthritis of the hands, arnica gel was shown to be as effective as ibuprofen gel in relieving pain and stiffness.
Give acupressure a try This ancient Chinese healing art uses thumb and fingertip pressure to stimulate energy flow within the body. It works better than physical therapy at easing lower-back pain, according to a recent Taiwanese study of 129 women and men with chronic pain. For the study, 64 volunteers had six acupressure sessions, and 65 had physical therapy. When researchers checked up on them six months later, the acupressure group had 89 percent less pain and disability than the other group. They took fewer days off from work or school, too.
To relieve muscle pain
Keep on exercising Experts have a name for the general pain you feel the day after you overexert yourself: delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. It turns out if you were a little overzealous playing, working, exercising or even gardening, the best remedy the day after is to get moving again. Staying active works the painful chemical by-products of overexertion out of your muscle tissue and keeps muscle fibres flexible so they can't tighten up and remain sore. Light exercise helps sore muscles to heal so you'll have less pain next time.
Use ice for strains and sprains Keep a cold pack, a bag of frozen sweetcorn or peas, or paper cups filled with a few inches of water in the freezer. If it's been less than 48 hours since your injury, rub the ice in a cup over the sore muscle or 'ice it down' by wrapping the frozen veg or cold pack in a clean kitchen towel and placing it over the area. Cold compresses reduce swelling and inflammation and relieve pain. Apply for 10 minutes, remove for 10 minutes, then apply for another ten; this strategy helps to protect older, thinner skin from being damaged by the ice. But skip the process if you have blood-flow issues, diabetes or Raynaud's syndrome, or if you are highly sensitive to cold.
Stretch and prop If all you have is mild soreness, movement and light exercise are the right remedies. But more sever pain is your body's signal to stop moving around or putting weight on an injured muscle. If you sense that your soreness crosses that line, stay off your feet or avoid using an injured arm for the first day or so. If you've injured a muscle in a hip or leg, keep it raised above groin level with pillows or folded blankets. This helps your body to reabsorb fluid sent into the area and reduces swelling. Make sure an injured arm is supported, not hanging down, for the same reasons.
After two to three days, add homemade heat Warmth relaxes tight, sore muscles and relieves pain. Fill an old knee sock or long tube sock three quarters full of raw white rice, tie off the open end tightly with a rubber band and microwave it for 2 minutes. Lay it over a sore spot or use it to massage gently a healing muscle that feels tight. This do-it-yourself hot pack is reusable and works for muscle cramps as well. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves or dried lavender buds for a spicy scent.
Stash stick-on heating pads in your medicine cabinet and glove compartment Single-use heat
Pain is inevitable, Chronic, debilitating pain is not. No matter what your age, health or situation, there are always ways to treat ongoing pain
wraps stick on right over the sore spot are great for fast relief - and they come in shapes and sizes that fit particular high-ache areas perfectly. Inside are chemicals that warm up when the package is opened and they're exposed to air. The low-level heat is safe to use for up to 8 hours, sometimes longer.
Or soak it Sink into a warm tub, Jacuzzi or whirlpool bath and add 15 drops of relaxing lavender essential oil or muscle-warming ginger essential oil to the water along with half a cup of Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts. (This is great for muscle cramps, too.)
Treat yourself to a rubdown Try this on a warm muscle a few days an injury: rub the length of the muscle, moving from the point farthest from your heart towards the point closest to your heart. Research shows that post-exercise and post-injury massage can reduce pain and speed healing. It can reduce inflammation, too.
Listen to your body Never push through pain or fatigue. The truth is, tired, stressed muscles are injury-prone. Pay attention when your arms or legs feel fatigued or your back feels tight. These are signs that it's time to rest and relax. Pushing too hard could lead to cramps and pulled muscles.
Check your 'D' supply A vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle weakness, aches, pains and even balance problems. Skin produces D in the presence of sunlight, but older skin makes less-and virtually no one (of any age) living in the UK gets enough from sunshine during the winter months, anyway-the rays are too weak. Older people need at least 600-800 IU of vitamin D a day, and some experts say 1,000 IU would be even smarter. You can't get that much every day from food, so add up the amount in your multivitamin and take a supplement to cover any shortfall.
Muscle cramps? Fight them with this breakfast bowlful Low levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium-which act as massage-carrying electrolytes in your body-can raise your odds to having sudden, painful muscle cramps. Get more of all three important minerals by spooning up some whole-grain cereal with milk and sliced banana at breakfast and by taking a multivitamin. And drink plenty of water throughout the day, since cramping can also be a sign of dehydration.
To reduce back pain
Get up and move Once, experts (as well as know-it-all relatives) said that bed rest was best for bad backs. Not any more. Study after study shows that movement helps to keep muscles supple and boosts circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to heal strained spots. Don't expect to play tennis tomorrow, do expect that after a brief rest, you'll rise and go about as much of your daily routine as possible, taking it as easy as you need to.
Then stretch and strengthen Add in stretching and gentle strengthening exercises, too. After a few weeks, start doing easy abdominal exercises like those in our three full-life fitness routines (see on FULL LIFE FITNESS ROUTINES-REPAIRING THE PAST). These will strengthen your core- the 'inner corset' of muscles that steadies your spine. (Go easy on back exercises, though. One study found that walking provided more relief.) Aim to exercise for roughly half an hour, five days a week-it doesn't matter whether you walk, swim, do aerobics or participate in some other activity you enjoy.
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