10 Super Human Powers You'll Get with Exercise
Superpower: Joints of steel
Having bad knees may seem like a red flag symbol that you need to stay far away from exercise. But in fact, exercise is one of the best antidotes to joint problems, both among people who already have a condition like arthritis and those looking to stave off future problems.
Aim for a minimum of 10 minutes a day; older women who clocked 75 minutes a week were less likely to develop symptoms of arthritis during a three-year study in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy compared to those who didn’t work out. Those who bumped it up to 2.5 hours a week were even better off.
How it works: Exercise strengthens the muscles and ligaments that surround your joints so they function more smoothly. Plus, exercise compresses your joints, pushing in nutrient-rich fluid that nourishes the joint. It also helps keep the weight off, which minimizes excess pressure. After all, every extra pound of body weight adds up to an extra four pounds on the knees when you run—one reason that lower-impact walking, cycling, or swimming might be more comfortable if you’re overweight and just starting an exercise routine.
Reviewed by Joseph Sclafani, MD on December 9, 2013
Sources
https://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html/#physicalexercise
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21722657
https://web.mit.edu/murj/www/v14/v14-Features/v14-f2.pdf
https://www.lancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(05)70203-9/fulltext
https://www.mayoclinic.org/news2011-rst/6432.html
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199908263410904#t=articleTop
https://circ.ahajournals.org/content/109/11/1371.long
https://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_effects_of_exercise_on_heart_circulation_000029_3.htm
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/kids/healthy_joints.asp
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/pa_overview.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1906812/ https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/knee_problems/Default.asp
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15986358
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7212698.stm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728793/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585377/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2901048/
https://jcem.endojournals.org/content/93/2/387.long
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18277063
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2745102/
https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/exercise-stress.aspx
https://www.prevention-digital.com/prevention/200907?pg=67#pg67
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression-and-exercise/MH00043
https://today.duke.edu/2000/09/exercise922.html
https://www.ejhs.org/volume7/fitness.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17447865
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18019884
https://www.prevention.com/node/24810
https://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/13/health/he-exercise13
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12959703
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html
https://archive.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/oct/exerciseflu
https://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=2613
https://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html/#physicalexercise
web.mit.edu/murj/www/v14/v14-Features/v14-f2.pdf
https://www.mayoclinic.org/news2011-rst/6432.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21722657
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15007010?dopt=Abstract
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/kids/healthy_joints.asp
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/pa_overview.htm
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7212698.stm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585377/
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression-and-exercise/MH00043
https://today.duke.edu/2000/09/exercise922.html
https://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/13/health/he-exercise13
Lynn A. Anderson, Ph.D. Sex Matters So...Get Sexually Healthy the Natural Way. © 2010 Lynn A. Anderson.