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If you answered this question with something other than your true age – please read on!

Many of us suffer from joint stiffness, aches or pains, muscle tightness and soreness upon waking in the morning. This is usually due to arthritis or joint inflammation. Typically joint stiffness occurs in the morning and as your mobility improves throughout the day, the inflammation settles down giving you some temporary relief. Unfortunately, at night when we return to sleep, the process is reversed and the cycle is repeated leading to stiffness and inflammation the next morning. So how can we stop this?

Understand that part of this is actually a natural process and you can’t stop it from happening. At night the joints in our bodies, especially our spinal discs, take in nutrient-rich fluid from the surrounding area to keep our tissues healthy. When we wake, gravity takes over and this fluid naturally tries to escape and is reabsorbed by the body. This is a good thing and it’s why we move a little slower first thing in the morning.

However, if you suffer from arthritis, this process can be dramatically increased leading to significant aches and pain in your body. Your body develops stiffness and soreness to protect against further damage. This makes the situation worse and results in further joint swelling and muscle soreness, preventing mobility.

Here are 3 tips to help you get moving and out of pain:

• Don’t stretch early in the morning — Wait for up to one hour until you have had time to adapt to moving around. Over-active stretching or exercising may increase your risk of joint injury and sometimes even fractures.
• Eat a balanced diet — Include foods rich in anti-inflammatory properties (fish, fruits, nuts, etc) and limit processed foods high in saturated fats.
• Customize your exercises — Perform specialized stretching/strengthening exercises that are tailored to meet your individual needs. Generic-type exercises (like a friend’s recommendation) may actually increase your risk of injury and promote the original problem.

Find out more about our in-home therapy and fitness programs using Corrective Motion to train your body to move properly, improve stability, build strength and relieve pain. Click here to book a free assessment.