If you’re an active person, chances are you don’t let the winter weather hold you back. If you play a lot of outdoor tennis in the summertime, you might move your games to an indoor facility to keep perfecting your backhand stroke. If you are out on the green the moment the weather starts to cooperate, you might spend more time walking on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike endurance. But even if you find ways to stay active in the cold temperatures, you need to find effective exercises to warm up your joints properly. A joint is where two bones meet. The soft tissue, bone cartilage, during the winter months to maintain your strength and
and ligaments that make up a joint can typically stand up to the heavy wear and tear of an active lifestyle — but only if they move without friction. To reduce the amount of friction on the joints, your body produces a lubricant known as synovial fluid, a thick substance that provides a slippery surface for the bone ends so they don’t rub together. When you’re young, synovial fluid is produced in copious amounts, but as you age, the joints have to be stimulated to produce lubrication through movement. If you’ve noticed that you feel a bit more stiffness when you start a physical activity — particularly in the colder weather — you just need to keep moving until the
joint becomes warm and the synovial fluid starts flowing. Cold joints can put a lot of stress on the body, and if you don’t warm them up, they will wear out even faster. If you want to stay active during the warmer temperatures in the years to come, you’ll need to keep your joints moving. Here at Kinetic PT Specialists, our physical therapists will start your appointment by conducting an evaluation to pinpoint the parts of your body that need attention. They will then create a customized home exercise plan to help you keep your joints warm during this last month of winter. Give us a call today to get those joints ready for the sunshine!
Sudoku
Beet, Mint, and Ricotta Hummus
INGREDIENTS • 1 6-ounce beet (about the size of an adult fist), scrubbed • 1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained • 1/3 cup tahini, well mixed • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice • 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 garlic clove, grated • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander • Mint leaves, poppy seeds, and olive oil, for garnish
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. Wrap beet tightly in foil. On a foil-lined baking sheet, roast wrapped beet until fork tender, about 60–70 minutes. 3. While beet is roasting, blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, and coriander until smooth. 4. Once beet is cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to remove beet skin. Trim root end and cut into small pieces. Add to blender or food processor, and blend until entire mixture is smooth. Add additional salt if desired. 5. Transfer to a shallow bowl, top with garnishes, and serve.
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