What Exercises Help Joint Pain?

Are you experiencing joint pain, and trying to find some relief? According to Healthline, the causes of your joint pain are most likely to be from a previous injury, age, or arthritis. Luckily, joint pain can often be relieved by exercising and moving your body. Once you are able to find the right type of exercise for your body, you might start to feel some relief; read more for examples of what exercises you should avoid, and what exercises might work best for you.

Alternatively, if you currently don’t experience joint pain and want to know more on how to prevent it, check out Healthpointe’s other article, How Can I Keep My Joints Healthy?, to keep your joints healthy and moving.

What exercises should (and shouldn’t) you do?

The best exercises for your joints are going to be the ones with the least amount of impact on them. According to Spark People, low impact exercises are those that don’t put immediate stress on your body and joints, whereas high impact exercises are going to put a lot of stress on your joints. Examples of high impact exercises that you’ll want to avoid if you have joint pain include running, or any type of movement that includes jumping

The following are different types of exercises that are low impact, and can potentially help you relieve some of your joint pain. You should always consult your physician prior to beginning any new exercise regimen, and be sure to ask your doctor if these exercises are right for your specific pain.

Walking

Not only is walking a great way to get outside and breathe some fresh air, but it is one of the most common – and one could argue – underrated forms of exercise. According to Creaky Joints, walking can help strengthen your muscles, manage your weight, keep your cartilage healthy, and it is a great form of cardio exercise. Just make sure you have a proper pair of shoes, and you can get started.

Swimming

The amount of benefits you can have from swimming is almost infinite, but we will give you a few here. Swimming is one of the easiest exercises – not only in regard to impact on your body, but it also has wonderful cardio benefits that are similar to running. If you’re new to swimming, you can always sign up for beginner swimming classes to learn the proper techniques required to start.

Water Aerobics

There’s a reason why water aerobics is so popular— it’s fun! Additionally, if you’ve been missing the rhythm of dancing, water aerobics can be a nice substitute while maintaining a low impact on your joints. Local aquatics centers will often offer water aerobics classes, and little to no equipment is usually required, or it may be provided to you.

Strength Training

Strength training as a form of exercise aims to build and strengthen the muscles around the area you are working out. According to Everyday Health, if you strengthen the muscles around your joints, you can reduce stress on these associated joints. A great way to start strength training is by using machines with instructions that are available at your gym, or by using free weights. The important thing to remember is to always start with light weight. Building muscle can take time, and you want to ease into strengthening exercises.

Yoga

This exercise can be gentle on the body, and easy to modify if certain poses are challenging or cause pain in a certain areas. Yoga can be very beneficial for strengthening your muscles and improving circulation, and is known to benefit those with osteoarthritis. Lastly, yoga itself is known to stretch and tone your muscles, which are two very common themes for helping reduce joint pain.

Cycling

We’re not saying that you’ll be able to bike the Tour de France with joint pain. However, this is a great low impact exercise with many benefits. Not only can you cover long distances outdoors and get some fresh air, but according to Better Health, cycling is a great form of cardio, and can improve muscle strength while helping with joint mobility.

If you’re struggling with joint pain, or are wondering if exercise is a safe route to reduce your joint pain, Healthpointe has physicians and services that can help you! Schedule an appointment here, or call (888) 824-5580 to see what will work best for you.