For over 20 years, Kathy Nishnic has served as a registered representative and senior vice president of investments at Cola Wealth Advisors in Lexington, South Carolina. In her free time, Kathy Nishnic enjoys taking walks to maintain healthy joints. Walking is an easy exercise for people with sensitive joints. It maintains blood flow to the lower limbs and joint fluid circulation in the knees. It also reduces stiffness and inflammation. If you are taking up regular walking as an exercise to strengthen your joints, start small. Walk a short for 10 minutes and build up from there. You can incorporate breaks into your exercise and aim to get to 30 minutes of walking a day or more. Over time, you can even increase your speed, covering long distances in a shorter period. At the start, opt to walk on soft surfaces such as nature trails. Even though they are uneven, they are better for strengthening your balance. If you prefer even surfaces, consider asphalt or cinder track. Avoid hard surfaces like concrete. Choose shoes that are flat and bendable at the front. They should have a wide toe box. Do not use pointy shoes or shoes with heels higher than three-quarter inches. If your knees are susceptible, avoid shoes with arch supports. Use over-the-counter orthotics for cushioning. If you have very sensitive knees, warm them up by applying heat before walking. After walking, you can apply cold packs to reduce inflammation. Do not walk if you are in moderate to severe pain. It could be a sign of something serious. See a doctor immediately if this occurs. Securities and advisory services through Centaurus Financial, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Centaurus Financial, Inc. and Cola Wealth Advisors are not affiliated companies. Please visit Cola’s website for more information: https://www.colawealthadvisors.com/.