Colin Lloyd

Is There Anything I Can Take to Help My Arthritic Joint?

A Very Common Question

Twenty years ago, glucosamine was going to be the miracle supplement that would fix sore joints. Subsequent research showed its effect was primarily placebo. People still regularly ask whether there is something they can take to make an arthritic joint healthier and less painful.

The short, honest answer is: not really.

There is very little robust research evidence that any dietary supplement makes a meaningful long-term difference to arthritic joints.

Continue reading

Three Keys to Managing an Arthritic Joint

What the Research Tells Us

Recent research into cartilage health at a cellular level has revealed something important: compression drives the maintenance process in cartilage. The joint needs impact to maintain itself.

For years, people assumed that the pounding from exercise wore out arthritic joints. The opposite is true – controlled impact is what repairs them.

Straight compression drives repair. Impact that is slightly higher than everyday levels is even better.

Continue reading

Should We Ice Injuries?

The Received Wisdom

For decades, the standard advice for a soft tissue injury has been RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. You see it in sports halls, first aid manuals, and online. Athletes sit with ice packs strapped to injured ankles. It seems obvious and sensible.

But should we actually be icing injuries?

The Evidence Is Changing

We now have a growing body of research showing that ice only provides pain relief – it does not offer any benefit to the healing process itself.

Continue reading

Running and Knee Arthritis – Busting the Myth

We’ve All Heard It

Running is bad for your knees. The pounding will cause arthritis. Avoid it if you have any knee trouble.

It’s a commonly held belief – and many people who would love to run avoid it because of it. So is it true?

No. And we’ve known this for a long time.

What the Research Actually Shows

Around 30 years ago, a study compared elderly runners and non-runners and found no increase in arthritis in the runners. That evidence existed decades ago.

Continue reading