Can Too Much Exercise Cause Joint Pain?

“No pain no gain,” is a common saying many people use to motivate themselves in the gym or on the field.  And while it’s true that pushing physical boundaries is a part of the process of building strength and endurance, overdoing it causes damage to our bodies. High impact exercise in particular can damage the cartilage in the knee joints and increase the risk of developing arthritis. To complicate matters slightly, it is also true that exercise can help minimize or alleviate joint pain. The key to exercise and healthy joints lies in what you do and how you do it. Read on for more information about exercise and joint pain.   

Exercise and joint pain

If your joints hurt during exercise, it’s important to ease up on the intensity or focus your exercise on a different part of the body for a couple of days. Some stiffness may be expected before your joints and muscles get warmed up, but if the pain does not subside after a few minutes of warming up, do not try to push through it, as you could risk serious damage to your cartilage and potential problems with osteoarthritis in the future. 

Most people think joint pain automatically signals arthritis, but joint pain can be caused by a number of different factors, including: 

• Arthritis - Inflammation of the joints

• Injury - to the joint or the muscles around the joint

• Tendonitis - inflammation of the tendons (tissues that connect the bones and joints) 

• Excess weight - puts stress and strain on the joints

• Intense, high-impact exercises - can damage cartilage

• Repetitive movements at work - overuse can wear away cartilage

• Aging - cartilage becomes thinner and fluid in joints decreases, increasing the risk of painful bone-on-bone friction

• Inactivity - promotes weight gain and weakens muscles that protect the joint

Joint pain during exercise is a sign that something is wrong. Your doctor can help determine the cause and guide you toward a solution. It may be recommended that you work with a physical therapist who can help design a quality workout that’s good for your joints. Your current exercise program may need to be modified to decrease the intensity and impact or strengthen the muscles around the joint in order to protect your joints from additional pain. 

It’s important not to give up on exercise altogether or even postpone it indefinitely because exercise is an important factor in maintaining healthy joints.  Research shows that regular exercise helps decrease the inflammation associated with joint pain. It can also help reduce the stress of having excess weight on your joints. Physical therapists are a wonderful resource for creating exercise programs designed for minimum joint pain and maximum joint health.  

Best exercises for joint pain

The best exercises for joint pain are determined by the cause of your joint pain and other factors including the strength of the muscles around your joint. Your doctor and physical therapist will work together to create a customized exercise prescription just for you. But in general, low-impact aerobic exercises such as walking, swimming, strength training, cycling, yoga, and pilates can help keep your joints lubricated.  While high-impact exercises typically aren’t recommended for people with joint pain, one study found that selective and strategically implemented high-impact exercises actually increased knee cartilage quality in participants.  This further emphasizes the importance of working closely with a physical therapist who can help develop a safe and effective customized exercise program designed to keep you fit and your joints healthy. 

Physical therapy for joint pain at Bella Vista Health Center

Whether you have joint pain from injury, arthritis, or surgery, physical therapy can help provide you with relief as well as protection from further injury or joint damage. At Bella Vista Health Center, our physical therapists work closely with doctors and other members of the treatment team to create customized treatment plans designed to help patients regain their strength, optimize their joint health, and improve their quality of life. If joint pain is keeping you from participating in the activities you love, give us a call at (619) 644-1000 or come visit our 5-Star skilled nursing facility in Lemon Grove today.  

What Is The Best Exercise For Joint Health?

Our joints play an important role in our mobility, flexibility, and our quality of life. Exercise is crucial for keeping our joints healthy, but unfortunately, most of us don’t pay much attention to our joints until they begin to wear down, cause pain and discomfort, or stop working correctly. The good news is that even if you already have osteoarthritis (a degenerative joint disease), exercise can decrease your pain and stiffness and improve your overall joint health. When it comes to your joints, however, not all exercise is created equal. High-impact activities that put stress on weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, ankles) can exacerbate joint problems.  So what is the best exercise for joint health? Read on to find out. 

The best exercise for joint health

If you have pain, swelling, or stiffness in your joints; or if your joints are tender or warm to the touch, it’s important that you discuss your symptoms with your doctor so you get the medical care you need. Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, or you may be referred to another doctor for specialized care. Whether you’re diagnosed with arthritis or not, chances are, your doctor will recommend that you exercise regularly in order to maximize your joint health. Here are some exercises that support joint health. 

1. Range of motion exercises

Range of motion exercises help to reduce stiffness and keep your joints flexible. Examples include:

• Knee straightening stretches

• Ankle pumps

• Shoulder shrugs

• Wrist extensor stretch

2. Strengthening exercises

Strengthening exercises help you build up the muscles that support and protect your joints. Examples include:

• Mini wall squats (for hip support)

• Standing leg lifts (for knee support)

• Putty grip and squeeze (for hands)

• Calf raises (for ankle support)

3. Aerobic exercises

Aerobic exercise helps increase blood circulation, providing a steady supply of nutrients and oxygen to your joints. Examples of healthy aerobic exercise for joints include:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Elliptical machines

• Stationary bicycle 

Exercise doesn’t always feel great on stiff joints, but in the long run it does support your joint health. It’s important not to overdo it or to push yourself beyond your limits, though.  The best way to ensure that you’re getting the right type of exercise, and the right amount of it, is to work with a physical therapist who can help design a customized exercise program that supports your joint health. And if you’ve recently undergone (or plan to undergo) joint replacement surgery, your commitment to physical therapy will have a significant impact on the success of your recovery. 

Post-surgery rehabilitation for knee or hip replacement at Bella Vista Health Center

Sometimes an exercise program and other lifestyle changes are not enough to eliminate joint pain. When joint replacement is called for, physical therapy is crucial for a successful recovery. If you or someone you love needs additional support in the transition from hospital to home following a hip replacement or knee replacement surgery, Bella Vista Health Center can help. We provide high quality hip and knee rehabilitation programs that aim to support the healing process and maximize functioning so patients can return home as soon as possible.

For more information on our programs and services, please give us a call at (619) 644-1000 or stop by and visit our 5-Star skilled nursing facility in Lemon Grove today.