Regular exercise is extremely important, especially if you are dealing with a pain problem. Although it can be difficult to find the motivation to work out, exercise will help build strength in your muscles and actually provide some temporary pain relief. Some people have the motivation to work out, but exercise causes their joint problems to flare up. Today, we provide five tips to help prevent joint pain during your workout.
1. Stretch – Jumping straight into your exercise routine is a quick way to trigger your joint pain. Much like a car in the winter, it takes some time for our joints to start moving fluidly. Just like it’s not good to floor it five seconds after starting your car when it’s -10 degrees outside, it’s not smart to jump on the treadmill without letting your joints warm up.
2. Switch up your routine – Try to work out different areas of the body throughout the week. Going for a run every day is fine, but you’re leaving yourself open to overuse injuries, and you’re putting a lot of stress on your feet and knees. Instead, work out your upper body on Monday and Thursday, and strive for a lower body workout on Tuesday and Friday. This gives your joints some time to recover between workouts.
3. Find what works – This may sound obvious, but find a workout that works for you. If you have joint pain in your knees, consider exercising on a stationary bike or in a pool to help with weight bearing. If your back pain flares up while biking, try going for a walk or a run. Keep a log of what works best for you so you can create a pain-free exercise routine.
4. Try alternative methods – There are plenty of ways to get your exercise in without going for a run or a swim. Some more popular alternatives for people with joint pain are yoga and Pilates. These low-impact activities help increase joint mobility and flexibility. Additionally, yoga has been shown to ease pain and swelling in people with rheumatoid arthritis. If other exercises are causing too much joint pain, give yoga or Pilates a try.
5. Don’t overdo it – The right amount of exercise if great for your body, but overdoing it can actually make pain problems work. When developing a workout plan, start slow and progressively work your way up to longer routines. Additionally, if you begin to feel pain, stop your workout or transition to a different exercise that doesn’t impact that part of your body.