Recently I noticed a company that produces some very innovative exercise equipment begin marketing itself in a way that would seem rather benign at first glance, but at its core the message is misleading.
The term they used was “Joint Friendly”.
As in, their equipment, their exercises, their approach was more joint friendly than other more common or typical exercises, approaches or even equipment.
And as harmless as that may be to state such a thing, the fact of the matter is that just is not true.
All exercise is potentially joint friendly. No single approach or exercise can truly make the claim to be more joint friendly than any other.
Why?
Because cartilage has no blood vessels, and instead relies on diffusion for nutrition.
Sponging…also known as Load and Motion.
Quite literally our joints need to be both moved and compressed to simply stay healthy. In fact, because of this there is significant hesitation with completely immobilizing a joint/limb when someone is recovering from a surgery. Trauma is always a triage situation, but when the procedure can be planned in advanced they have learned the hard way that the body and all of its parts must be moved as early as possible in order to avoid all the problems that arise when movement is ceased.
And what is one of the more notable problems? Cartilage…it gets weird and problematic when it is not moved through its available range for a certain period time.
So, respecting any pain or all out giving way of your body with all its parts, know that movement and load is the best thing for your joints.
Now, while the cartilage within our joints thrive off of load and motion… there is a type of loading that it tends to like the best. And, if you would like to know what that is, and have both the above and plenty more explained in a more audio-visual format, then do feel encouraged to watch the video below, as it will map out just that.
So what is the big take away?
First, keep moving and do not be fearful of heavy loads… this is what every joint in your body needs.
Second, be sure to have fun when you are doing it…this will prevent you from being too uptight while doing whatever it is that you are doing. Besides, no one else can have fun for you in this lifetime…
Lastly, know that there is no single exercise, approach or piece of equipment that can claim to be “more joint friendly” than any other. So when something is being pitched as “joint friendly”, know that they may mean well…but they do not know what such a thing means.
If you have any questions about the above, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Regardless, I hope you find the above helpful, and I hope you are comfortable, able and well.