When joint pain is part and parcel of daily life, keeping moving can feel like the last thing you want to be doing. Some people even worry that moving their joints could make things worse.
In fact, the exact opposite is true: keeping your joints moving with gentle, low-impact exercises is one of the best ways to maintain joint health while minimising the pain and stiffness caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis. These kinds of exercises help strengthen the muscles around your joints, improve balance and mobility, and maintain a healthy weight – all of which reduce the amount of strain exerted on your joints.
With that in mind, here are some great gentle and low-impact exercise options to help keep your joints moving, pain-free and healthy.
Going for a walk
Walking is the most simple, almost universally accessible exercise – and it begins the second you step out of your front door. It’s a naturally gentle, low-impact exercise that helps lubricate the joints while strengthening the muscles that support the knees and hips, and just taking a short 30 minute walk each day can make the world of difference. If that feels like too much at first, then don’t worry; taking smaller walks throughout the day can be just as beneficial.
Swimming or water aerobics
Water-based exercises are an excellent option for people with joint pain or osteoarthritis, because water supports your body weight and reduces pressure on the joints while still enabling you to move freely. This makes it one of the most gentle ways of exercising your joints.
That means swimming can improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles and get your circulation going – all without any of the impact on your joints caused by activities like running. Meanwhile water aerobics is much like normal aerobics, but with the added advantage of gentle water resistance that helps to better improve strength while still cushioning the joints.
FLexercise or chair exercises
People with limited mobility may prefer a more sedate form of movement, so might want to consider something along the lines of FLexercise or exercises that can be performed while sitting in a chair.
FLexercise is a combination of exercise and dance that focuses on using gentle stretching and controlled movement to improve posture, core control and joint mobility. The stretching involved helps keep muscles and connective tissue flexible, thereby reducing stiffness and increasing range of motion.
Chair exercises provide an even more gentle form of exercise, with all of the movements being performed from a seated position. This might include leg lifts, arm raises or mildly twisting at the waist – all of which can help improve strength, flexibility and circulation. This type of workout is suitable for people of all fitness levels and can be easily adapted to individual requirements.
Yoga, Pilates and tai chi
Yoga, while famously associated with meditation and relaxation, is also an excellent way of improving your flexibility and balance. Gentle forms of yoga promote slow, controlled movements and stretches that can reduce joint stiffness and improve muscle strength.
Pilates is more focused on strengthening core muscles that help to support the spine and improve posture, which in turn can reduce excess strain on your joints. Many Pilates exercises are low impact, and there are often classes tailored to people with arthritis or reduced mobility.
Tai chi, meanwhile, is an ancient practice that focuses on practicing slow, fluid movements that help to improve balance, coordination and flexibility. It is also, like yoga, widely seen as a form of meditation, meaning it can also help reduce any stress that might be an exacerbating factor in your joint pain.
Qigong, like Tai chi, incorporates slow, deliberate movements alongside breathing techniques and meditation. It has been shown to improve balance as well as joint mobility.
Resistance bands and gentle strength training
These are good, gentle ways to build muscle strength to provide better support and stability for your joints, reducing discomfort and making everyday tasks that little bit easier.
Resistance bands are pieces of elastic that you can use for a variety of exercises with a variety of joints, providing gentle, continual resistance that helps to build muscle without placing excessive strain on the joints. You can find a number of arthritis friendly exercises here.
Additionally, you can use light weights – or even just your own body weight – to help maintain muscle mass without overloading your joints. These might include wall push-ups, mini squats or step-ups, all of which can benefit strength and mobility when performed correctly and within your comfort zone.
Gently does it…
The key with any of these exercises is to start slowly, take it easy and listen to your body for any signs that you might be overdoing things. Slightly sore muscles after a workout is normal, but any sharp or severe pain is a sign to stop and seek advice. Gently massaging a gel like drug-free FlexiSEQ into the skin on the soft tissue around joints can help to keep you supple, flexible and mobile for the long term. By supporting your joint health you can ensure your joints support you for longer.
The most important thing is exercising regularly and consistently, to form healthy habits that will help you maintain flexibility, minimise joint pain and stay active long into the future.