If you suffer from joint pain or osteoarthritis, exercise should be your “first line of treatment” according to this physiotherapist

Aching hips, sore knees and joint pain are often assumed to be something we just have to live with as we get older. More than 32 million adults in the US suffer from the joint disease osteoarthritis, according to the CDC, but according to physiotherapist Clodagh Toomey the best medicine isn’t drugs or surgery—it’s exercise.

Toomey, an associate professor at the School of Allied Health at the University of Limerick in Ireland, told Fit&Well: “International guidelines all recommend that exercise is the first line of treatment for osteoarthritis due to the safety, low cost and effectiveness of exercise interventions to reduce pain and improve everyday function.

“Exercise has the added benefit of supporting the health of almost every system in our body,” she adds.

Regular movement doesn’t just help manage symptoms, it can also future-proof your body against developing osteoarthritis in the first place, she says.

“By participating in exercise and physical activity throughout our lives, we are protecting our joints from developing conditions like osteoarthritis. People who exercise regularly tend to have stronger muscles in their legs, which is protective for the development of hip and knee osteoarthritis.

“And people who are active have lower levels of inflammation in their body and are more likely to have a healthy body composition. These are also factors that can offset some of the risk factors that we cannot do much about, like genetics and ageing.”

What’s the best exercise for joint pain?

Toomey says that while there’s no best exercise to treat or prevent osteoarthritis, resistance training is a good place to start.

“Exercises that build muscles in the thigh (quadriceps and hamstrings muscles) like squatting and sit-to-stand exercises, and around the hip (gluteal muscles) like floor bridges can be beneficial for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

“You should start with bodyweight or low-weight exercises and progress slowly if you are new to exercise. Monitor your pain response to the exercise to help guide when you should add more repetitions and increase your weight or seek support if you are unsure.

“Aim to perform these exercises at least twice per week. You can find some useful guidance on home exercise programmes for osteoarthritis online.”

But it’s not just resistance training that can help with osteoarthritis.

“Aerobic exercise such as walking, running and cycling is also effective. Exercise that addresses balance and mobility such as Tai Chi and yoga can also be really beneficial.

“What is most important is choosing an activity that you like so that you are more likely to continue with it. A social element to the exercise, for example an exercise class or walking group or buddy may also help to optimize the effects.”

How quickly can you expect to experience results?

Toomey says that people could see an improvement in osteoarthritis symptoms anywhere from six to 12 weeks, but it could hurt a bit before it gets better, she warns. “We ask people to give a new exercise programme a go for six weeks to see if it is beneficial. However, some people start to see an improvement in their symptoms much faster.

“It may also take up to 12 weeks to make exercise a habit and part of your daily routine. It’s also worth noting that you may see an initial increase in your symptoms when you start a new exercise.

“Bear in mind that this is a very normal response to a new activity when you have osteoarthritis and it should settle down quite quickly. Pain does not mean that you have done any damage to your joint. It is a good idea to build up your exercise slowly so that your joints can get used to the new exercise,” she warns.

Is there any type of exercise to avoid if you experience joint pain?

Getting moving is preferable to doing nothing, and there’s no recommendation for exercises to avoid if you have osteoarthritis, says Toomey.

“If you can perform an exercise confidently with no more than low levels of pain then it is safe to continue. There is no link between running or any other form of exercise and development or progression of osteoarthritis.

“If you are not confident in the exercise you are doing, seek help from a healthcare professional such as a physical therapist, or an exercise professional with expertise in chronic conditions.”