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Heres What Experts Had to Say

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But your muscles can only perform their movements because of the bones within them.

Specifically, your joints.

woman sweating in the gym

For a biology refresher: The definition of a joint is any place in which two bones connect.

This allows the bones to either glide or bend or twist on each other smoothly, he says.

Thus, most pressure from movements should go into your muscles, not your joints, he says.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

However, cartilage wears down due to age as well as impact over time.

This is when it’s possible for you to experience bone-on-bone action, which, ouch.

Dr. Gladstone adds that strength andflexibilityare also critical to supporting joint health and overall longevity.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

How to improve joint health for better workouts and longevity

1.

This doesnt mean that you have to hit the pavement, though.

If youre into running, try the speed interval workout above, courtesy of trainer Jes Woods.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

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Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Both fitness modalities work to both strengthen and lengthen your muscles while adding to your overall flexibility.

Doing regular stretches can help, too.

Try the flexibility-focused yoga workout above to get started on your mat.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Work through full-body exercises

Both Pham and Dr. Gladstone say full-body work is important for improving joint health.

The 30-minute Pilates workout, above, is a low-impact way to work everything from head to toe.

Weight training is key.

The HIIT dumbbell workout above hits all of your muscles in just seven minutes.

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