If you sit at a computer desk for a living, this article will explain why the majority of your joint pain exists. Hint: it's not because "you're old". Most of the time this pain is avoidable.
As far as I'm concerned, muscles fall into 2 categories: HEALTHY and UNHEALTHY.
Muscles are attached to tendons. Tendons are attached to bones. These bones are usually located at a major joint like a knee, hip, or shoulder. When a muscle is under continuous repetitive strain, it becomes way too tight and unhealthy. It's not necessarily UNHEALTHY because it's tight, it's UNHEALTHY because it's not flexible and pliable. It's unhealthy because it doesn't have proper blood circulation. It's unhealthy because its over-tension is pulling at the tendon that's attaching it to a bone.
Tendons are very strong parts of our body. However, they're also very susceptible to pain. When something is wrong (like a repetitive strain injury), tendons tell us quickly with pain. They tell us much more quickly than muscles would tell us.
This tendon gets overexerted and inflamed quickly. If the situation is really bad, the tendon may even be rubbing against a bone. OUCH (speaking from experience)......
As far as I'm concerned, muscles fall into 2 categories: HEALTHY and UNHEALTHY.
Muscles are attached to tendons. Tendons are attached to bones. These bones are usually located at a major joint like a knee, hip, or shoulder. When a muscle is under continuous repetitive strain, it becomes way too tight and unhealthy. It's not necessarily UNHEALTHY because it's tight, it's UNHEALTHY because it's not flexible and pliable. It's unhealthy because it doesn't have proper blood circulation. It's unhealthy because its over-tension is pulling at the tendon that's attaching it to a bone.
Tendons are very strong parts of our body. However, they're also very susceptible to pain. When something is wrong (like a repetitive strain injury), tendons tell us quickly with pain. They tell us much more quickly than muscles would tell us.
This tendon gets overexerted and inflamed quickly. If the situation is really bad, the tendon may even be rubbing against a bone. OUCH (speaking from experience)......
WHAT IS CAUSING PAIN IN THE JOINT?
Not the tendon. That is the end result of the pain. The CAUSE is the tight muscle.
It doesn't make any sense to ice the tendon or take anti-inflammatory pills. These are just temporary fixes that mask the pain, not cure it. A more reasonable approach would be to heal the tight muscle.
HOW DO YOU HEAL THE TIGHT MUSCLE?
Start by increasing your magnesium intake.
My dad is a retired truck driver. He never sat at a desk, but he sat in trucks and cranes. This pretty much did the same damage, if not worse. Instead of carpel tunnel in his wrists (common among computer desk jockeys), he got ulnar nerve entrapment (in both elbows). Fast forward to last year, when he's 5 years into retirement and plays golf every other day. Still plagued by arm, back, and leg pain. I suggested he try taking liquid magnesium (which I had taken in the past and gotten incredible results). Liquid magnesium is not some ritzy, high-priced supplement. Magnesium is a mineral, found in a lot of vegetables. Taking a liquid magnesium supplement is like getting the benefits of eating a lot of vegetables, which is very good for muscle health and muscle recovery.
My dad was hesitant at first, but I pushed it on him because I was certain he'd get results from it. I pushed it so hard that I actually bought him a bottle of liquid magnesium and stuck it in his father's day gift bag one year. He was pissed. Because....he knew he had to try it then. Lol. See what I did there (;
He tasted it that day and hated it. But, he stuck with it. Two weeks later, he had seen remarkable results. His back felt better. His golf swing was smoother and looser. His sleep quality was better (because his muscles were more relaxed throughout the night). He woke up with more energy, not feeling sluggish. A year later, he still uses liquid magnesium.
It makes your muscles healthier. It makes your muscles much more flexible and pliable, allowing you to experience less pain. It'll also allow you to get more results when stretching. The bad news: if you've experienced some sort of freak injury or trauma (torn ligaments, irreparable tendon damage, lack of cartilage in a joint, spinal disc deterioration, etc), magnesium probably won't do much for that. But it will still make your muscles healthier. Magnesium is great for releasing muscle and tendon tension due to repetitive strain injuries. Taking liquid magnesium is a critical habit in my quest of how to decrease joint pain.
Not the tendon. That is the end result of the pain. The CAUSE is the tight muscle.
It doesn't make any sense to ice the tendon or take anti-inflammatory pills. These are just temporary fixes that mask the pain, not cure it. A more reasonable approach would be to heal the tight muscle.
HOW DO YOU HEAL THE TIGHT MUSCLE?
Start by increasing your magnesium intake.
My dad is a retired truck driver. He never sat at a desk, but he sat in trucks and cranes. This pretty much did the same damage, if not worse. Instead of carpel tunnel in his wrists (common among computer desk jockeys), he got ulnar nerve entrapment (in both elbows). Fast forward to last year, when he's 5 years into retirement and plays golf every other day. Still plagued by arm, back, and leg pain. I suggested he try taking liquid magnesium (which I had taken in the past and gotten incredible results). Liquid magnesium is not some ritzy, high-priced supplement. Magnesium is a mineral, found in a lot of vegetables. Taking a liquid magnesium supplement is like getting the benefits of eating a lot of vegetables, which is very good for muscle health and muscle recovery.
My dad was hesitant at first, but I pushed it on him because I was certain he'd get results from it. I pushed it so hard that I actually bought him a bottle of liquid magnesium and stuck it in his father's day gift bag one year. He was pissed. Because....he knew he had to try it then. Lol. See what I did there (;
He tasted it that day and hated it. But, he stuck with it. Two weeks later, he had seen remarkable results. His back felt better. His golf swing was smoother and looser. His sleep quality was better (because his muscles were more relaxed throughout the night). He woke up with more energy, not feeling sluggish. A year later, he still uses liquid magnesium.
It makes your muscles healthier. It makes your muscles much more flexible and pliable, allowing you to experience less pain. It'll also allow you to get more results when stretching. The bad news: if you've experienced some sort of freak injury or trauma (torn ligaments, irreparable tendon damage, lack of cartilage in a joint, spinal disc deterioration, etc), magnesium probably won't do much for that. But it will still make your muscles healthier. Magnesium is great for releasing muscle and tendon tension due to repetitive strain injuries. Taking liquid magnesium is a critical habit in my quest of how to decrease joint pain.
In just 1 minute per day, here's how to decrease joint pain:
1. First, go buy some liquid magnesium. My brand of choice is Bluebonnet. The name of it is Liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate Plus Vitamin D3 (pictured). DISCLOSURE: I am not affiliated with, or compensated by Bluebonnet in any way. I simply really like their product. I buy it at Whole Foods, but it's a very popular brand so you can probably find it at your local health food store. It typically costs about $14 or $15 bucks.
2. Second, read my ---> DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor. I also do not know what your current magnesium intake is. Therefore, I have no idea how much to tell you to take. However, I can tell you that if you think you eat enough vegetables, you probably still DON'T eat enough vegetables. (-; Also, liquid magnesium is sold off the shelf. I can also tell you that the bottle has directions on the label.
3. Start off with a very low dosage (even less than what's recommended on the label) and work your way up after a few days once you start getting used to it. If you start off with too large of a dose, you'll be RUNNING to the bathroom within the first hour, guaranteed. Magnesium cleans out your system of toxins and is also used as a laxative. It'll take a few days before you notice any results anyway. It's not an overnight success type of thing.
4. For best results, take it on an empty stomach and follow it with a glass of water immediately.
5. For even better results, increase your magnesium intake while also attending HOT YOGA or by FOAM ROLLING in the same week.
Have you ever increased your magnesium intake? What results did you get? How long did it take you to see results?
Post your comments below, or email them to me directly at tbowen [at] highspeedhealth [dot] com.
2. Second, read my ---> DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor. I also do not know what your current magnesium intake is. Therefore, I have no idea how much to tell you to take. However, I can tell you that if you think you eat enough vegetables, you probably still DON'T eat enough vegetables. (-; Also, liquid magnesium is sold off the shelf. I can also tell you that the bottle has directions on the label.
3. Start off with a very low dosage (even less than what's recommended on the label) and work your way up after a few days once you start getting used to it. If you start off with too large of a dose, you'll be RUNNING to the bathroom within the first hour, guaranteed. Magnesium cleans out your system of toxins and is also used as a laxative. It'll take a few days before you notice any results anyway. It's not an overnight success type of thing.
4. For best results, take it on an empty stomach and follow it with a glass of water immediately.
5. For even better results, increase your magnesium intake while also attending HOT YOGA or by FOAM ROLLING in the same week.
Have you ever increased your magnesium intake? What results did you get? How long did it take you to see results?
Post your comments below, or email them to me directly at tbowen [at] highspeedhealth [dot] com.
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