The first thing to know is what ligaments are, and what is the purpose of these psychical structures that are within our bodies.
Ligaments are cords of collagen fibers that connect bone to bone, which in turn creates a joint in the human body. Example: elbow.
Without ligaments the human body would almost have no structure as we know it.
Ligaments are almost taken for granted because so much attention is given to muscle groups when exercising, doing sports and just regular day to day activities like changing a tire. Most of us only pay attention to ligaments when it’s too late, when injuries occur due to “over stressing” this vital tissue.
Below I will give you tips on how to protect the ligaments in your body and how to nourish them.
Protecting the ligaments:
We have all heard this before, stretching, stretching and more stretching before any form of physical exercise. Stretching serves to warm-up the body but is vital to give our ligaments a heads-up to what is coming up in regards to our exercise regime. Simple stretching exercise for about 5 to 10 minutes is more than sufficient to prepare our bodies.
When exercising, remember to always “change things up”. So, when working on your triceps, your favorite exercise might be chair dips. Alternate chair dips with resistant bands triceps extensions from day to day. These alternating movements will give the ligaments on your elbow some rest from day because a different part of the elbow ligament will be stressed.
Nourishing the ligaments:
Due to the composition of the ligaments and it’s building blocks, Vitamin C and Manganese is some of the most important supplements to take in order to support the ligaments. Consuming these 2 minerals on a daily basis will ensure that your ligaments get the nourishment it needs to stay strong and flexible.
Water, this cannot be overstated. Water is fundamental in keeping your ligaments healthy. Consuming at least half a gallon of water will keep you on par with what your body requires on a daily basis and will feed your ligament with the natural minerals that water contains. If anything else, consume enough water during your day and let the consumption of “bottled” vitamins and minerals be secondary.
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