Have you ever wondered why your joints are painfully stiff getting out of bed or after sitting for a long time? While there are many misconceptions that lifting weights will cause increased amount of joint pain, we can assure you this is not the case. Joint pain is caused by many external factors; however, there are a handful of ways to prevent or reduce joint pain! Read today's article to learn the common causes of joint pain and how you can prevent it!

What is inflammation?

You have probably heard of inflammation before. Whether this is discomfort in the joints or pain in the inner organs, inflammation is not uncommon, especially for athletes and bodybuilders.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is the process by which your body's white blood cells work to protect you from infection from outside invaders, such as bacteria and viruses (WebMD, 2022).

Surprisingly, small amounts of inflammation is not all that bad as it is one of the first defense mechanisms our bodies use to defend us from sudden body damage, such as a cut or bee sting. Otherwise known asacute inflammation, this inflammation is considered good and is okay to have in the body.

On the other hand,chronic inflammation can lead to unpleasant pain, stiffness, or swollen joints. This type of inflammation is associated with autoimmune diseases, causing the immune system to work overtime and can last for months or years.

Inflammation is uncomfortable and can cause joint pain and stiffness. Additionally, inflammation can cause limited joint mobility, which can prevent you from doing daily activities or engage in usual workout activity.

Keep reading to learn the link between inflammation and how it can be the cause of your joint pain!

The link between inflammation & joint pain

It's no given that if you're experiencing joint pain, you probably have an excess of inflammation in joint capsules. In one national survey, about one-third of adults reported having joint pain within the past 30 days (McBeth, n.d.).

Correspondingly, joint inflammation can lead to swollen, painful joints. The most common causes of joint inflammation are injuries and inflammatory arthritis (MediLexicon, 2021).

When a joint is inflamed, white blood cells rush to the affected area and work to protect or fight off bacteria and infection. Common symptoms when a joint is inflamed are pain, stiffness, and swollen joints.

Common causes of joint pain:

Stress

Whether it's stress from school, work, or any other external factors, you've most likely experienced stress from one time or another.

When you're overly stressed, your immune system cannot control its response to increased inflammation caused by excess stress and cortisol levels. Inflammation is caused by cytokines, chemicals that are released by stress. When you are stressed, the body will release more of these chemicals and increase the amount of inflammation in the body (Schipani, 2023).

“When we engage in activities such as meditation, breathing and relaxation, the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system is activated. This leads to repair, growth and restoration — a general ‘anti-inflammatory’ state, Ruiz-Noriega says (Malacoff, 2022).

Overuse

One of the most common causes of joint pain is from overuse. No matter what type of training or exercise you are engaging in, you are breaking down muscles and joints in the body.

Overuse happens when your tendons and ligaments are forced to work harder due to the fatigued and broken-down state of your muscles not being fully recovered.

Rest and recovery is essential and it's important to keep in mind to slow down and to not overdo it. Proper recovery will allow adequate time for muscles, ligaments, and joints to recover.

Ever heard of wear and tear on your body? This also refers to wear and tear of the joints. In order to prevent unpleasant joint pain, it's essential to rest up and slow down!

Muscle imbalances

Joints and ligaments are surrounded by small and large muscles that contribute to creating daily movement. When certain muscles dominate or overpower the work done by the joints, joint pain and stiffness can occur.

In addition, when muscles are imbalanced, one muscle will work harder than the opposing muscle leading to overcompensation of the muscle and extra stress onto your joints.

Muscle or joint strains are not uncommon when there is a muscle imbalance present. Tightness, stiffness, and inflammation are common symptoms of a muscle or joint strain.

Having a good mobility and stretching routine before and after your workouts is essential to helping alleviate tightness of the joints and muscles.

Age

As much as we want to stay youthful forever, aging is another common cause of joint pain. As you get older, joints get older and more worn out as well. Wear and tear on connective tissues leave the joints less resilient and more susceptible to damage.

Additionally, collagen synthesis in the joints decline as we age, making it harder for the joints to heal and repair. As we age, joints become more stiff and less flexible.

Ensuring that you keep moving and partake in daily physical activity will allow for the joints stay flexible. Additionally, having a diet full of collagen-rich foods is essential to keeping joints strong and capable of healing fast.

AstroFlav's Collagen supplement is made with high-quality ingredients and provides 20g of hydrolyzed & pasture raised bovine peptides for your joint pain needs!

5 ways to prevent joint pain

Have a proper warmup & cool down

Ensuring that you have a proper warmup and cool down for your training is ideal to prevent joint pain. Allowing your muscles to warm up before lifting heavy or going for a run will increase range of motion and help eliminate stiffness.

Additionally, cooling down after your workout is just as important. Take time to stretch, foam roll, or even sit in the sauna to help loosen up your muscles and recover properly.

Prioritize rest & recovery

Rest and recovery is not only important for muscle growth purposes, but also for preventing stiffness in the joints. Allowing your body to fully recover will allow your muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues to work properly and prevent joint pain and stiffness. A good rule of thumb is to start by prioritizing at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night!

Reduce inflammation

Of course some inflammation may be challenging to reduce; however, there are multiple steps that you can take to start reducing today! Below are 3 ways in which you can start reducing inflammation to prevent joint pain:

1. Manage stress

2. Reduce inflammatory foods

3. Supplement with anti-inflammatory ingredients

Balance your training routine

One of the most important training tips to prevent joint pain: take a balanced approach. Train your muscles equally and well-balanced from head to toe. Muscle imbalances are one of the key contributors to joint pain; therefore, it is crucial to ensure you are hitting every muscle group throughout the week.

An easy way of doing this is by following a structured training routine and focusing on compound movements.

Perfect form & posture

In addition to having a well-balanced training routine, it is also important to ensure you have proper form and posture in your exercises. Poor posture and bad form can not only lead to injury, but also increase inflammation as joints and muscles are not aligned as they should. A good way to perfect form is by having someone watch and critique you while you perform an exercise and ask a professional for proper technique!

The Takeaway:

Joint pain and inflammation is very common, especially for athletes and bodybuilders. As mentioned previously, inflammation is the bodies response to protect you against from infection or outside invaders; however, too much inflammation can cause unpleasant symptoms such as pain, stiffness, or swelling of the joints.

Joint pain can have many causes such as stress, overuse of the joints, muscle imbalances, and aging. Luckily, there are a handful of ways to prevent joint pain. Having a proper warmup and cooldown before workouts, prioritizing rest and recover, reducing inflammation, and perfecting form and posture are all ways in which you can prevent or reduce joint pain.

Additionally, joint pain can be prevented by ensuring the amount collagen synthesis is adequate and plentiful. Supplementing with a high-quality collagen supplement may just be what you need! Try AstroFlav's Collagen Peptides today!

At AstroFlav, we want the best for our customers. It is our goal to help everyone achieve their fitness goals and steer them in the right direction with trust-worthy advice AND trust-worthy supplements!

RESOURCES

WebMD. (n.d.). Inflammation: Definition, diseases, types, and treatment. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/about-inflammation#:~:text=When%20inflammation%20happens%2C%20chemicals%20from,your%20tissues%2C%20resulting%20in%20swelling.

Schipani, D., Gorin, A., Kennedy, K., Derrow, P., Parch, L. A., Rauf, D., Walsh, K., Editors, E. H., & Rapaport, L. (n.d.). The link between stress and inflammation. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/united-states-of-stress/link-between-stress-inflammation/#:~:text=Chronic%20Conditions%20Linked%20to%20Stress&text=Inflammation%20in%20RA%20is%20partly,of%20inflammation%20in%20your%20body.

Malacoff, J. (2022, January 7). Inflammation basics and the role of diet and exercise. MyFitnessPal Blog. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/inflammation-basics-and-the-role-of-diet-and-exercise/

Joint pain & arthritis. Sharon McBeth, MD, Cell Therapy & Ortho Biologics. (n.d.). https://bhdrxconcierge.com/joint-pain-arthritis-cell-therapy-orthobiologics-beverly-hills-ca.html#:~:text=Joint%20pain%20is%20extremely%20common,to%20your%20shoulders%20and%20hands.

MediLexicon International. (n.d.). Joint inflammation: Causes, treatment, and symptoms. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/joint-inflammation