There’s one health issue that will quickly take you out of the training game: joint pain. You know how important it is to stay active, as staying active will help you maintain muscle strength and keep your fitness at an ideal level. As we age, we lose lean muscle mass, but physical activity helps prevent this loss.

However, when you start to suffer from joint pain, things change. Now even climbing the stairs can seem like a challenge. The good news? You can get around this. By taking action now, you can keep your joints moving well into your old age. Don’t let creaky joints get you down. Here is how…

1. Avoid activities that put stress on your joints. First, consider avoiding activities that put significant stress on your joints. For example, running is not the best option. Sure, it’s great if you’re looking to burn calories or increase your endurance, but to keep your joints healthy, it’s not the best of activities. Using a stationary elliptical or swimming would be a better option.

Similarly, while weightlifting is great for promoting better health, it’s not ideal if you’re doing your max lifts multiple times a week. You can do it from time to time, but the rest of the time, lift more conservatively. You will continue to see the benefits.

2. Keep your weight under control. As often as you’ve heard this, it’s time to hear it again. Keeping your weight in check is imperative to maintaining the elasticity, strength, and resilience of the cartilage in your joints. If you carry excess weight; it makes sense that you are at risk of developing joint pain. Stress falls on your joints constantly, and this is likely to cause you problems.

Losing ten pounds can make a big difference when it comes to joint pain. Try wearing ten pounds strapped to your back for an hour and see how you feel. When you take it off, you will feel much better. That illustrates what your joints go through when you gain weight.

3. Consider glucosamine and chondroitin. These two supplements are the ones you should consider taking if you are looking to prevent joint pain or if you currently have joint problems. They contain nutrients to benefit joint health and help improve your mobility. Research doesn’t know exactly why these work, but glucosamine occurs naturally in the body and helps maintain healthy joint cartilage.

There are a few main points to keep in mind if you are looking to save your joints. Prevention is key when it comes to joint health, so make sure you’re not overlooking anything you might be doing.