Movement and exercise can be the last thing on your mind when you’re experiencing joint pain. Each morning, you wake up with more pain and stiffness than the day before, and that initial movement can be really challenging. So why would you then expose yourself to more movement and exercise? Surely the only way you can alleviate your symptoms is by just sitting and resting? 

This couldn’t be further from the truth! Exercise helping joint pain can sound counterintuitive, but it’s actually one of the most effective long-term strategies. Moving your body in the RIGHT way can be brilliant for reducing your pain and stiffness and recovering from injury. 

Training and exercise can help your joints in the following way:

• Your joints are surrounded by synovial fluid, which is released during movement. This fluid lubricates and cushions your joints, and circulates important nutrients to nourish the cartilage. Staying still for too long means that this fluid isn’t released and can dry up, which is often why movement feels so difficult first thing in the morning or after a long period of sitting. 
  
  

• Training and exercise strengthens your muscles. Your muscles act as shock absorbers and help to offload your joints. If they’re weak, the joint itself has to take more load. For example, if the muscles at the front of your thighs (quads) are strong, you will experience less knee pain. If your buttock muscles (glutes) are strong, you are likely to experience less hip and lower back pain. Even increasing the strength of your muscles slightly can noticeably reduce pain and discomfort. 
  
  

• Exercise improves body awareness and stability. Pain in joints often starts as a result of tiny instability or poor movement patterns. Controlled strength training and balance work can teach you to understand how your body should move optimally, which can lead to improved movement patterns and reduced joint stress. 
  
  

• Regular exercise can lower the baseline level of inflammation in your body. Chronic inflammation can make your joints more reactive and vulnerable to pain and stiffness. If you can reduce inflammation globally, your joints will become less painful. 
  
  

• Exercising can improve your body composition. When paired with a healthy, nutritious diet, exercise can help you lose body fat and gain muscle. This decreases the load placed through weight-bearing joints, such as the knees and hips, reducing pain and discomfort. 
  
  

• Without movement and exercise, you are at risk of losing range of motion at the painful joint. When something is hurting, you often use it less, which leads to reduced flexibility and range of motion. This causes the joint to become stiffer and movement to become MORE painful. 

It is important to find a type of exercise that works for you. If you move in a way that you find comfortable and enjoyable, you are far more likely to stick to a consistent exercise routine, which is paramount when building strength and improving fitness. There are several types of exercise that can be really beneficial for reducing joint pain, including:

• Low impact cardio such as the cross-trainer or exercise bike. These types of exercise machines don’t overload the joints with high impact, and strengthen both the leg muscles and cardiorespiratory system. 
  
  

• Swimming. Exercising in water can really improve joint pain. The buoyancy of the water can reduce load through your joints and is helpful if weight-bearing hurts. The resistance of the water helps to strengthen your muscles whilst swimming itself encourages you to learn a more efficient breathing technique which improves lung and heart function. 
  
  

• Pilates. Pilates is a great form of low-impact exercise which improves muscular strength, control, balance, coordination and body awareness. The movements are small and accessible for anyone and can really help you gain more control over your body and improve your movement patterns. I have written a blog focused around my favourite Pilates exercises for joint pain which you can read here. 
  
  

• Warming up properly. Skipping your warm-up is probably one of the worst things you can do for joint pain. As previously mentioned, your joints benefit hugely from the release of synovial fluid to cushion and nourish them. Start each workout with a gentle warm-up, taking your joint through its full range of motion to release this fluid and prepare your joint for exercise.

Here are some of my go-to exercises for joint pain:

• Knee pain - straight leg raises. This exercise really activates the quad muscles at the front of your thigh, which are paramount for offloading and creating space in the knee. 
  
  

• Hip pain - the bridge. The bridge is a great exercise for building pelvic stability and glute strength. This helps to support your hips and improve your movement patterns when walking. 
  
  

• Lower back pain - posterior pelvic tilts. This is a small but mighty exercise which helps to activate your deep core muscles which can offload and support your lower back, reducing pain and stiffness. 
  
  

• Shoulder pain - scapula squeezes. If your posture isn’t optimal, or your shoulder girdle isn’t working rhythmically with your shoulder joint, it can cause pain. Scapula squeezes help to train better posture and scapulohumeral rhythm to improve biomechanics and reduce discomfort. 
  
  

• Ankle pain - 4-way ankle range of movement. If your ankle is stiff and painful, it is important to move it through all planes of movement. This exercise ensures that you don’t lose flexibility or range of motion which can make walking more difficult. 
  
  

• Neck pain - neck retractions. In the 21st century, we use technology more than ever which can often lead to a ‘chin-poke’ posture. Reverse this uncomfortable position by completing some neck retractions. 

Take a look at my previous blog for some video tutorials on how to carry out the above exercises for joint pain. 

If you’re struggling with joint pain, movement and exercise is not your enemy! Learning how to move your body in a controlled manner can be the most effective strategy to a long-term improvement in your symptoms. Hopefully these tips will help guide you on your way to a pain-free life.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.