As we age, many of us are dealing with age-related “wear and tear” on our bodies. Regardless of how we have gotten where we are, one thing is certain: living with aches and pains is becoming much more common than it used to be. Often, we turn to the path of least resistance… taking painkillers or leading a sedentary lifestyle to avoid the daily aches and pains or because of the fear that working out or being active will make the pain worse. Ultimately though, this may not be the best strategy for managing your pain or injury. If you want to enjoy your life to the fullest, it’s time to change your mindset about movement.

Joint Pain and Stiffness
To understand how motion can help manage your joint pain, you must first understand the underlying causes of what is happening. Joint pain and stiffness can develop for several reasons, including an acute sprain or strain where the muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone may be damaged by a specific mechanism of injury. Or by a trip and fall onto an outstretched hand and wrist or a knee hyperextension injury on the court. Both examples may lead to pain and inflammation.

Acute pain caused by an injury requires a whole different management strategy and may require some level of immobilization or modification of activity vs. injuries that develop or deepen over time and those that result from repetitive motions that may occur in some occupations or sports. Think about the professional who spends endless hours sitting at a desk in front of a computer (often with slumped-over posture) or the golfer who makes thousands upon thousands of swings in a lifetime. The demands placed on your joints at any one time may not appear to be extreme, but over time these stresses (coupled with age-related changes) begin to add up and can result in pain and arthritis. No need to panic though, here is where motion comes into the picture!

What is Motion?
Motion can take the form of many activities including walking, biking, swimming, participating in your favorite group fitness class, getting together with friends to play your favorite sport, gardening, and even housework. You don’t have to go to the gym or “work out” to be active, you just have to move!

Movement improves blood flow to the joint, which is associated with healing and recovery and is one of the greatest benefits of being active. Nonetheless, you may be hesitant to begin a new activity because of pain or you have tried walking, biking, or swimming and your symptoms have not improved or have worsened. This is where working with a professional can prove to be helpful.

A consultation with a Physical Therapist or an experienced fitness professional will allow you to better understand the underlying cause of your pain and can help you develop a plan for getting back to the activities that you love. Rather than focusing on an activity or sport, movement may be more specific and intentional. For example, a physical therapy plan of care may include the following: progressive joint motion, progressive weight bearing or joint loading, and finally progressive introduction into activity-specific movement.

This step-by-step process will allow the joints to gradually develop tolerance to the demands required by your activity or sport of choice.

Tips For Managing Joint Pain from Lucio Ojeda DPT, Licensed Physical Therapist

1. Think twice about “quick fixes” – Taking painkillers or undergoing joint replacement may seem like the next step, but these are not always the best options. Drugs often mask the pain and rarely cure the cause. Surgeries can be time-consuming, high risk, and in some cases can be avoided with a proper therapy and exercise regimen.
2. Take image findings with a grain of salt – We often go into panic mode when we receive the findings of a radiograph or MRI that shows degenerative changes in our joints. These findings do not always have a direct correlation to how we feel daily. How you feel before, during, and after certain activities can provide more useful information.
3. Motion is lotion – Sometimes the specific activity being performed is irrelevant. The most important thing is that you are getting your body moving. Stop moving and you’ll quickly notice increases in pain, stiffness, and disability.
4. Wake up and stretch – Mornings tend to be the most challenging parts of the day because joints stiffen up overnight. Starting with a gentle stretch first thing in the morning can help ease pain and minimize the risk of further injury during the day.
5. Avoid overdoing it – Many people with joint pain are not doing enough movement which can lead to stiffness while others are doing too much which can lead to overstressing the joints. The whole point of movement is to help you. If the activities become too intense, your body will let you know. Take time to schedule recovery sessions into your daily routine.

Try these stretches in the morning to get you ready for the day!

*While these exercises are generally good for everyone, you should always check with your doctor to make sure they are right for you.

About Lucio
Lucio holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy as well as a BS in Exercise Science. He has a passion for improving the health and fitness of all individuals. He has a keen interest in golf-specific training, but his area of expertise is rehabilitation and building exercise programs for those with specific injuries and/or limitations. To make an appointment with Lucio or any of our Fitness Professionals, call the Fitness Center at 239-495-1937 or stop by our Front Desk.