Alleviate extra stiff joints with this gentle four-move mobility routine

Stiff joints don’t always respond well to intensive stretching.

Forcing your body into uncomfortable positions when you have a limited range of motion is often counterproductive.

"One of the biggest mistakes people who lack mobility make is trying to beat their body into submission with aggressive stretching," argues certified personal trainer Carter Lee.

Latest Videos From

Watch full video here:

"That just makes your nervous system tighten up even more to protect itself."

A smarter approach, according to the coach from BetterMe, is to signal to your body and brain that it is safe to move, mobilize and relax.

"These exercises work because they are relatively low-threat," continues Lee.

"By using chairs for balance and lying on the floor to take the weight off, you’re essentially whispering to your brain that it’s safe to move."

In this four-move gentle mobility workout for stiff joints, Lee recommends using light ankle weights for the second exercise to create space around your hip socket.

"This added resistance provides traction to alleviate bone-on-bone sensations while giving your brain the sensory feedback to better control the joint," he explains.

How to do the workout

Lee recommends using these four moves as a gentle mobility routine.

The first time you attempt these moves your body is likely to resist the unfamiliar exercises, but gradually it will relent.

"Instead of static stretching, such as holding a pose for 30 seconds, improving mobility for stiff joints requires active movement," he says.

Perform each move for 30-60 seconds, resting as required, then as your mobility improves, repeat the routine two or three times.

"Consistency beats intensity every single time in this game," says Lee.

1. Side-lying leg lift with tap

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Lie on your side with one leg on top of the other.
• Slowly lift your top leg while keeping your hips vertically aligned, rather than allowing your top hip to roll forward or back.
• Now carefully bring your top leg forward to tap the floor in front of you.
• Then lift and tap the floor behind you.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: "By targeting the gluteus medius, this exercise helps open up the hips in preparation for the demands of the day.

“For stiff people, this is crucial to stabilize the pelvis, which in turn reduces referred stiffness that can affect the lower back and knees."

2. Single-leg knee drive

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with one hand on a chair for balance.
• Moving with control, bend your knee as you lift it to hip height.
• Lower slowly, placing your foot back on the floor.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: “Using ankle weights with this exercise helps create tiny amounts of space around the hip socket. This allows the synovial fluid to coat the joint surfaces more effectively than unweighted movement.”

3. Lateral weight shift

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your hands clasped together in front of your chest.
• Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back to lower into a quarter squat, with your knees wide and chest facing forward.
• Step to your side, maintaining the quarter squat, for three paces.
• Keeping low, step back to the start.
• Continue, moving slowly and with control, rather than rushing.

Lee says: “Some of the body’s daily stiffness can be attributed to the fact that most of our day we are only moving in one direction: forward.

“This exercise will promote hip mobility and lower-body strength, crucial elements for a long and independent life.”

4. Chair-supported quad stretch

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your back to a chair and position another chair to your side for support.
• Place the top of your left foot onto the chair behind you and grasp the other chair to provide balance.
• Tuck your tailbone under to avoid arching your lower back.
• Bend your right knee to lower, feeling a gentle stretch down the front of your left thigh.
• Pause, then extend your right leg to stand upright.

Lee says: "This targets the rectus femoris, the big quad muscle in the front of your thigh, along with the psoas that connects your lower spine to thigh bone. When stiff, they pull the pelvis into a tilt that can cause phantom back pain.

"A unilateral exercise, this move demands decent balance and strength to complete, so make sure the additional chair is sturdy and can support your bodyweight. Proper form is crucial with this exercise."