That's Fit

Ah, the power of food. Even small portions of food have power, like small salads.

Small salads eaten just before a meal can keep your knees and hands free of arthritis. It's the vitamin K found in leafy greens like cabbage, spinach, and swiss chard that reduces the risk of joint damage.

Here's what science says about this salad scoop: Those with higher blood levels of vitamin K have significantly less chance of developing bone spurs and cartilage damage, common complaints of those with painful osteoarthritis. Hands seem to benefit the most, but knees get a dose of protection too.

Once word of caution before you mix up those greens: if you are on blood thinners, check with your doctor to determine how much vitamin K is appropriate for you.

Check out your fingers. Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? Mine is. Uh Oh. That means I have nearly double the chance of developing osteoarthritis, according to a recent study.

Size differences between ring fingers and index fingers have already been linked to sexual and physical ability and performance in university exams, but researchers have now discovered that arthritis might also be connected to the size of fingers.

Type 3 Finger Pattern is what it's called when people have the common male trait of a shorter index finger, and it's now been linked to arthritis of the hips and knees. More common in women than men, the mechanism that accounts for this finding -- and one linking this finger pattern with early onset menopause -- is unknown.

Sounds like I could be headed for future health issues. How about you?

Time to fix your form, guys, because you are not sitting on the stationary bike seat correctly, say the experts at Men's Health. You either sit too low or too high. And this is just not right. Here's why.

Too low adds stress on the knees. Too high rocks your hips from side to side. Both are uncomfortable and inefficient. You look funny too. Here's what you should do: sit on the seat and place your heel in the middle of the pedal -- where the ball of your foot would normally rest. Make sure your leg is fully extended, straight down, at the lowest point of the pedal rotation.

If you're already practicing perfect form on the bike, congrats to you. If you're not, get to work, my friends.

Alright... I'm about to attempt something -- something that I already have a feeling won't be easy to pull off. I'm going to tell you about a great ab exercise, though I wonder if I will be able to describe the mechanics of the movement using only words. I suppose finding a video demonstration of what I'm going to describe would be the easiest solution, but part of me thinks that search, in and of itself, may be somewhat difficult. That's because this move, while great for your abs, is not one you come across very often.

Well, let me take that back; it's not one you come across often when it's done in this manner. More or less, the exercise itself is called a roll-out; that is, when it's done using either a barbell or one of those wheels with handles on the side. If you're familiar with the roll-out, then we're off to a good start. If not, I apologize in advance for the confusion.

Running is many things: It's energizing, rejuvenating and oh-so-good for both your soul and body. But it's also hard on your legs, particularly your feet, calves and knees. If you like running and want to keep doing it for a few more years, treat your gams well by stretching, practicing proper form, drinking lots of water and treating yourself to a massage.

You don't need to hit up a massage therapist though -- you can give yourself a runner's massage by rubbing down your feet and calves, as recommended on Fitsugar. Or enlist your significant other (I definitely plan on doing this). Yes, there is a reason behind this -- a massage can bring blood to the area, which will help your muscles warm up and recover.

How do you prep for a run?

Last week, the Jumpstart Your Fitness post was about how we all take advantage of our feet, using and abusing them and neglecting to take very good care of them until they start screaming out in pain or discomfort. Well unfortunately the same can be said for the way we treat our joints. Knees, hips, ankles ... they all do their jobs on a daily basis, usually quietly and without complaint, but also without a second thought or moment of consideration from the people to whom they belong. Men and women are quick to work on health routines for strengthening muscles and protecting skin, but what about strengthening and protecting your joints? Nothing slows (or halts altogether) a workout routine faster than knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, etc.

So follow these guidelines for having healthier joints, starting today:

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I'm 56, run three to four miles, five or so days a week. Lately, as I'm walking to cool down, the back part of my right knee tightens up and bending it becomes very painful as I do post-run stretching. No pain when running. Anyone familiar with this condition? Dave

A Hey Dave. I get soooo many questions about knees. In fact, I had knee surgery long ago, so some people think I'm some sort of knee expert. I'm not. In fact, I don't think anyone who isn't a physician or physical therapist and hasn't seen you in person should give you advice on your condition. Not helpful, right? Wrong.

Prevent muscle mutiny with these four feel-good moves from the April issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now! Instead of letting a great workout leave you feeling miserable, use some of these suggested exercises to prevent muscle imbalances in your: back, knees, neck, and shoulders.

Ball Squat with tubing

Pain-prone area: Fronts and sides of the knees
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and wrap resistance tubing around your knees so there's no slack in the band. Place a stability ball between the middle of your back and a wall, but put only enough pressure on it to keep the ball from falling. Squat down as if sitting on a chair, pushing out against the tubing to keep your knees from caving inward. Press back up to start. Do two sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

A few years ago I took a tumble down a flight of stairs. It was my third day at a new job and I was carrying a couple of boxes, not using the handrail, walking down a flight of unfamiliar steps, and wearing high heels. Smart? Nope. Graceful? Absolutely not. Humiliating? You betcha. I unfortunately messed up my knee pretty badly. The worst of the injury healed, but I've been left with a weak knee ever since and it does limit the activities I participate in.

This tool has some simple steps for stronger knees -- to help prevent injuries, regain function, and reduce pain. Exercises include the modified squat, step up, toe stand, knee extension, and hamstring curl. I'm going to give them a shot to see if I can get my gimpy knee back in shape. How about you?

When I took up running, I noticed a few changes to my body, namely:

• I felt taller and leaner
• I had more energy
• My knees hurt like heck.

I'm working on the knee thing, but all things considered, I think my decision to take up running was a good one. Truth is, running does some amazing things to your body, and taking up a regular running routine will do you a world of good.

Not convinced? Check out this article on the great benefits of running. The gist of it? You'll strengthen your heart (thereby reducing your risk of heart trouble later in life,) you'll increase your cardiovascular endurance (so no more huffing and puffing when you climb the stairs from the basement,) and you'll train your body to burn fat as its energy source (and who doesn't want that?)

I took up running a while back, and one of the major challenges for me has been my knees. I've always had problems with them, and running makes them worse. But I've been doing exercises to strengthen my knees and they've paid off -- I'm usually pain-free when I run, and I'm loving it. If you have the problems with your knees but are aching to be a runner, consider these knee-friendly tips from Fitsugar:

• Lose weight to reduce the pressure on your knees.
  
• Start slowly, and get in good physical condition overall before beginning to run.
  
• Always stretch before and after running.
  
• Wear supportive braces if needed.
  
• Practice good form, running with your knees bent and leaning forward slightly.
  
• Watch where you run -- surface matters!

What have you done to reduce knee pain when running?

Have you ever seen those orthopedic leg braces that football or basketball players use? It usually takes up much of the leg area, but it hinges and folds to accommodate the knee. Imagine if you could outfit this leg brace with a generator to literally harness power as you walked around!

That's exactly what researches have designed and tested. The results showed that if a person casually walked with this leg brace generator on, they created ten times the amount of juice needed to power a cell phone. People who ran generated 54 watts. Even though that won't solve our energy crisis, it's interesting to see what off-the-shelf parts can produce.

These generators could actually have a lot of benefit. Fitness enthusiasts could use them to generate extra power while they went running. Third world countries could even take advantage of this technology to provide a little extra boost in energy. Perhaps they could take it a step further and design a more efficient model that generates even more power in the future!

Anyone who's ever had a problem with their knees, ankles, hips or another joint -- whether serious or not -- knows the importance of keeping your joints healthy. After all, without they're what keep you moving. So do something good for your joints by following these tips from Everyday Health:

• Keep your body at a healthy weight -- excess weight puts unnecessary stress on joints.
  
• Get regular exercise to build muscle around your joints
• Be cautious when doing heavy lifting
• Don't ignore pain -- talk to your doctor about it
• Move frequently -- don't spend too much time in one position unless necessary
• Wear wrist pads and knee pads when doing activities that might lead to injury.
  

Running is a great way to get and stay fit. It burns a ton of calories and challenges your whole body in a way that few other activities can. There's only one downside to running: it can ruin your knees if you're not careful.

But not surprisingly, where you run is of utmost importance to the health of your joints. Fitsugar has put together a list of the best and worst surfaces to run on, with 10 being the best for your knees and 1 being the worst:

• Grass: 9.5
• Wood chips: 9
• Dirt: 8
• Cinder track: 7.5
• Track: 7
• Treadmill: 6.5
• Asphalt: 6
• Sand: 4
• Snow: 2.5
• Concrete: 1

So running on the sidewalk isn't good -- stick to the treadmill, track or a grassy area instead. Where do you run?

Ok women, 'fess up. Often when we're at the doctors, we don't bring up certain things that we wanted to, either because we're embarrassed, we don't want to waste the doctor's time or ... we're scared. But our doctors are there to help and it's important that we bring up what's bugging us before it's too late.

Shape Magazine has put together this list of the top things that you should tell your MD:

• What herbal remedies or vitamins you're taking: So-called 'natural' remedies may seem harmless but they might not mix with other medications you're taking
  
• That you're planning to get pregnant: Your doctor can help make sure you're physically ready for pregnancy and can make suggestions
• That you're a social smoker: You doctor needs to know this to be able to properly screen and treat you
• If sex is painful: It shouldn't be ... try to be specific about the pain so your doctor can get to the bottom of it
• Whether or not you use tanning beds: Your doctor will be able to better screen you for skin cancer
• That your knees are stiff when you get out of bed: It could indicate something more than just an intense workout or old age

Are there things you're afraid to tell your doctor?