More Than Muscle: Healthy Joints Every single movement you do, whether exercise or not, involves your joints. Keeping them healthy is essential for daily movement, working out and job demands. No matter your fitness level, mobile joints reduce injury and keep you operationally ready. Imagine all the movement needed to perform your job duties – or maybe you are fairly stationary in your work. Regardless of your role, protecting your joints supports your performance as a Warfighter. Different Types of Joints Joints are where two bones meet, making movement throughout the body possible. There are three types of joints. Immoveable Joints Immoveable joints are locked together tightly (e.g., in between the plates of your skull). Slightly Moveable Joints Slightly moveable joints contain cartilage that allows small shifts (e.g., discs in between spinal vertebrae).Pivot joints allow limited rotating movements (e.g., neck, pubic bones, ribs). Freely Moveable Joints Freely moveable joints are fluid-filled and allow a wide range of motion. Ball-and-socket joints allow forward, backward, sideways and rotating movements (e.g., shoulder, hip) Hinge joints support bending and straightening movements (e.g., fingers, elbows, knees, toes). Ellipsoidal joints perform all types of movement except pivotal movements (e.g., wrists). Mobility Movements Regardless of the exercise you intend to do, focusing on mobility supports your fitness goals. You may know that warming up before and cooling down after a workout reduce injury risk, but did you know completing joint-specific movements also has a variety of benefits? Imagine you are doing an upper body strength training day. The main joints involved in your exercise include your fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders and spine. Now think of preparing for a run. The main joints involved include your toes, ankles, knees, hips and spine. Mobility exercises targeting these joints’ range of motion using body weight, resistance and/or weights not only prepare your muscles for your planned exercise, but they also support stability, flexibility and stamina. Focusing on mobility movements increases your range of motion, prevents injury, supports muscle growth, improves posture and reduces pain. Mobility exercises can be completed outside of structured workouts, too. You can use mobility movements in the morning to ‘wake up’ your body or before bed to reset after a long day. Active recovery days are also great days to focus on mobility movements. To learn more about mobility, check out the Pre-Hab: Boosting Your Mobility webpage. Common Mobility Exercises to Get Started Upper Back and Chest Hips Lower Back and Legs Neck and Shoulders Feet and Ankles High-to-low row Doorway stretch Thread the needle stretch 90-90 hip rotations Hip circles Clamshells Single leg Romanian deadlifts Cat-cow Calf stretch Chin tucks Ear-to-shoulder stretch Crossbody stretch Ankle circles Heel-toe walks Heel slides Ways to Protect Your Joints Lifestyle behaviors are a key element to healthy living. Not only do the following behaviors support joint health, but they also support overall wellbeing. Perform mobility exercises Stay hydrated Get enough quality sleep Eat nutritious foods Avoid substance use Manage weight Healthy joints are an important part of your military service. Whether you’re on the flight deck, manning drones, rucking or working on equipment, full range of motion is essential for mission readiness. Focus on behaviors to support joint health and move your body intentionally each day to remain fit to fight and injury-free! Additional ResourcesNavy - “Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling System (NOFFS)”ReferencesHarvard Health - “Protecting Your Joints”Johns Hopkins Medicine - “Anatomy of a Joint”Mayo Clinic - “Mayo Clinic expert offers tips on how to keep joints healthy as you age”National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - “Health Lesson: Learning About Joints”
