5 Important Exercises To Help Maintain Joint Health

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) estimates that one in four adults in the United States has some form of arthritis. Joint pain can restrict daily activities, and for many, physical activity is a painful subject. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. With a holistic approach to joint care, you can incorporate beneficial exercise, balanced nutrition, and targeted dietary supplements into your life, so you can keep moving.

Only about one-third of American adults get the exercise they need, and there is a link between lack of exercise and arthritis. A lack of exercise can weaken muscles and bones, which increases the stress placed on your joints. While many believe that exercise can worsen joint discomfort, research has shown that, when done properly and safely, it can benefit joint health and restore mobility.

Regular physical activity strengthens muscles which helps improve balance. Additionally, stronger muscles help support healthy bone density, and can help reduce joint stiffness and pain. Regular activity also replenishes lubrication to the cartilage of the joint, which can help promote flexibility. Staying active is a great way to maintain a healthy weight, reducing inflammation in the joints.

Get Moving for Joint Health

A 2019 study showed that exercise helps prevent cartilage breakdown caused by natural joint aging and wear. Regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle can support joint health, flexibility, mobility, and quality of life. Exercise for joints should be gentle to start with, allowing you to gradually strengthen bones and muscles. You do not want to increase pain or cause injury.

Professionals recommend getting at least 150 minutes of exercise a week but check with your doctor or physical therapist before starting a new exercise regimen. The best exercises for healthier, stronger joints are swimming, cycling, walking, strength training, yoga, or pilates.

1. Swimming

Swimming and water exercises can help reduce discomfort, swelling, and inflammation since water supports the body’s full weight. Water also offers 12 times the resistance of air, which means water workouts can effectively help you build muscle while improving balance and range of motion without the need for heavyweight resistance on your joints. Swimming regularly will help support a healthy weight, which helps reduce pressure and stress on your joints.

There are various aquatic exercise options depending on your fitness and mobility levels. For example, you can swim laps, join a water aerobics class, or join water fitness programs designed especially for people with joint pain. If possible, look for heated pools because warmer temperatures may help soothe your joints as you move.

2. Cycling

Cycling is low-impact, so there is limited stress placed on your weight-bearing joints (hips, knees, and feet). You can ride a bike through the city or country or use a stationary bike at home or the gym. The movement is the same, and it helps support joint function and overall health in a number of ways.

As your weight-bearing joints move, production of joint synovial fluid increases, which improves lubrication and reduces stiffness. Cycling improves range of motion in the hip and knee joints while strengthening the surrounding muscles to further stabilize those joints. Cycling can also help with weight management to reduce excess pressure on joints.

Some tips for adding an effective and safe cycling routine to your day:

• Always start with gentle movements to warm up.
• After a few stretches, start with a short ride. Ten minutes at low resistance is perfect for your first week of activity.
• As your joints become less stiff and muscles strengthen, you can increase time and eventually resistance.
• Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise per week. You can split that time into 10-minute blocks if that’s easier on your joints.

3. Walking

Walking is an easy, low-impact aerobic exercise for healthy joints that nearly anyone can do regardless of fitness level. It can also be done at any time of day, fitting easily into even the most hectic schedules. Walking strengthens your bones and muscles, increases your range of motion, and shifts pressure and weight from joints and muscles to reduce arthritis pain.

Walking outdoors engages more muscles than using a treadmill, and this increases blood flow to joints and other tissues. If not available a treadmill will still exercise your joints effectively. Always start slowly, trying five minutes a day the first week and then gradually increasing your time or distance over the weeks. You can also speak with your doctor or a physical therapist to help structure a program that’s right for you.

4. Strength Training

In a review of 8 studies that included older adults with daily arthritis pain, researchers found that strength training programs reduced discomfort by 35% and increased strength and function by 33%. Strength training also helps manage weight, which can greatly improve your symptoms in weight-bearing joints like your hips, knees, or ankles.

You will get the most benefits from strength training, when it is done 2 to 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Be sure to include exercises for all major muscle groups, not just the muscles surrounding the affected joints. Always warm up and cool down with gentle stretching. If you don’t have access to a gym or weights, you can do these exercises at home using barbells, resistance bands, or body weight.

Some of the best exercises include:

• Squats to strengthen knee joints
• Seated leg raises for hip joints
• Shoulder presses for shoulder joints
• Ankle rotations for ankle joints

5. Yoga/Pilates

Yoga and Pilates are low-impact exercises that can help you build strength, support proper joint function, improve balance, reduce joint swelling, and minimize pain. Yoga can be used to help improve flexibility of the body and affected joints. Pilates focuses on strengthening muscles and relaxing tension, both of which are great for strengthening all of the muscles.

It is important to find a qualified instructor who can show you a gentle routine. A guided training program will also help you avoid improper form and avoid potentially harmful poses that require you to balance on one foot or bend joints more than 90 degrees.

Some of the most beneficial poses for joint health include:

• Cat/Cow pose for your spine
• Supine twists for your hips
• Downward facing dog for your hips
• Warrior pose for your knees
• Cross-body shoulder stretch for your shoulder

Promoting Joint Health From Within

When regular exercise is added to a healthy routine, as part of a holistic approach to joint health which also includes balanced nutrition and dietary supplement support, you can effectively nourish, protect, and strengthen your joints.

MoveMD® is a comprehensive, fast-acting solution to support your joints. The naturally sourced ingredients of MoveMD® help promote proper joint mobility and flexibility.

• AprèsFlex® Boswellia Serrata, a patented and bio-enhanced form of boswellic acid clinically shown to boost joint health and aid joint pain.
• Zanthin®​ Natural Astaxanthin, a patented antioxidant clinically shown in a pilot study to decrease inflammation and oxidative damage.
• Type X.I.V. Eggshell Membrane Collagen and Type II Chicken Collagen contain joint compounds and proteins essential for maintaining healthy joint and connective tissues.
• Hyaluronic Acid helps maintain healthy viscosity of joint synovial fluid for targeted joint mobility and flexibility support.

Final Thoughts

Joint discomfort and various forms of daily wear created by inflammation can make everyday activities challenging, even getting out of bed. Studies have shown that low-impact activities can help support your joints, promoting flexibility and mobility. With a holistic care program consisting of daily fitness, a balanced diet, and a fast-acting supplement like MoveMD®, you can wake up each morning to hit the ground running.