Doctor-Recommended Workouts for Chronic Joint Pain

Joint pain doesn’t mean you can’t exercise – in fact, you should. The right workouts build strength and flexibility, reduce discomfort and prevent further damage. I created this 7-step program to reduce arthritis aches... If you’re one of the 43 million people with joint pain, exercise is a must. Not only will it cut discomfort, it builds strength and combats the fatigue that can accompany arthritis. “Proper physical activity can reduce pain and stiffness, strengthen the protective muscles around joints, and increase flexibility,” says Richard Blau, M.D., director of the Arthritis Institute of Long Island and author of Too Young to Feel Old (Da Capo Press). Of course, when stiff limbs make it tough to get out of the easy chair, maintaining an exercise regimen is easier said than done. But you don't have to run a marathon or log hours at the gym to reduce symptoms. It takes just 20 minutes a day, five days a week, with exercises you can do at home. You may feel the benefits after just a week or two. If you haven’t exercised in a while – or ever – start small. Aim for 10-15 minutes a day the first two weeks. Be sure to do gentle stretching after each workout. The following exercises will improve joints and help you tone up, slim down and prevent injuries. Check with your doctor first before beginning this or any other exercise program. Get Stronger With Weight-Lifting Don’t be afraid that weight-lifting will aggravate joint stiffness. Strengthening muscles and surrounding tissues actually supports bones and joints; inactivity makes them vulnerable to injury. “More than 80% of joint pain sufferers complain of muscular fatigue, weakness and loss of daily functioning, so lifting weights is strongly recommended,” says Neal Gordon, author of Arthritis: Your Complete Exercise Guide (Human Kinetics). Always start with light weights – a set of 2-8-pound weights (or exercise bands). Then work up as you get stronger, suggests physical therapist Chantal Donnelly, creator of the DVD “Pain Free at Work” (Body Insight). A complete weight-lifting program includes 8-10 moves targeting the entire body. Here are two exercises for starters: Shoulder Raise: This increases flexibility and strength in arms, shoulders and upper body joints. 1. Stand or sit with a light dumbbell in each hand and arms straight at your sides. Keep your back straight and belly pulled in. 2. Keeping arms straight, slowly lift weights out to sides at chest-level and hold for three seconds. 3. Slowly lower arms to starting position. 4. Do 8-12 repetitions. Stop if it becomes painful or uncomfortable. Hammer Curls: These increase flexibility and strength in arms, wrists and hands. 1. Stand or sit with a heavier dumbbell in each hand and arms straight at sides. Keep back straight and belly pulled in. 2. Holding weights at your sides like a hammer (with thumb up), slowly curl one arm to chin height, lower it, and then curl to the other arm. 3. Do 12-15 repetitions per arm; use heavier weights if it feels too easy after six reps. Use Your Own Body Weight Body-weight exercises build strength, just like dumbbells; simply increase the number of repetitions as you get stronger. Standing Toe Raises: These increase strength in legs, hips and lower leg joints. 1. Stand facing a high-backed chair and lightly rest fingertips on its top. Place feet hip-width apart with toes pointed slightly outward. 2. Lift heels up, balance on the balls of feet for five counts. 3. Slowly lower heels to the floor. 4. Repeat 8-15 times or until legs feel fatigued. Standing Hip Abduction: This strengthens outer hips and thigh muscles and lubricates hip joints. 1. Place a sturdy, high-backed chair about 12 inches from your right side. 2. Grasp top of the chair with right hand. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees bent and belly firm. 3. Carefully lift right leg to the side and 6 inches off the ground, keeping it straight. Point toes slightly and hold leg up for 3 seconds. 4. Slowly lower foot to the floor. 5. Repeat lifting and lowering 8-12 times. 6. Rest briefly, then switch sides and repeat with left leg. Try to remain upright, not tilting to one side or the other. “You should feel both hips working during this exercise – not just the one in the air,” Donnelly says. Strengthen Your Torso with Core Training Commonly called your "core," the group of muscles surrounding the back and abdomen provide a foundation so you can move with less pain. Instead of repetitive up-and-down movements, such as crunches, Donnelly recommends focusing on exercises that require you to hold a contraction. “That helps strengthen your core without hurting joints,” she says. Elbow Plank: This exercise strengthens hips, back, belly and upper body. 1. Lay face-down with elbows and knees on the floor. Use a doubled-up yoga mat or towel beneath you to cushion the pressure. 2. Clasp hands on the floor, positioning them under your face with elbows under your shoulders. Tuck chin slightly into chest to protect the neck. 3. Contract abdominals and slowly use core muscles to lift right knee off the floor. Then repeat with left knee, so you’re held up by your elbows and toes. Hold body straight as a plank. 4. Press up through shoulders and avoid slumping through the lower back as you hold this contraction. Breathe deeply for 30 seconds. Work your way up to one minute. 5. Repeat as many times as you can. Add Cardio For best results, alternate strength workouts with cardio exercise. Again, start with 10-15 minutes per day and gradually increase to 20 or more. Any activity that involves consistent movement will provide cardio benefits. The best exercise is one you enjoy – as long as it doesn’t worsen pain or symptoms. The most forgiving aerobic exercises are pool workouts, treadmill walks and stationary-bike rides. Avoid sports that involve quick starts and stops, such as tennis, racquetball or jumping rope.Unstable joints or chronic pain in hips or knee joints may exacerbate symptoms, Gordon says. To Avoid Pain, Don't Overtrain Don't go full-tilt at the beginning to get maximum results fast. That's the mistake many people make. “You’ll end up sore and stiff the next day and have to wait several days to pick up where you left off,” Blau says. Joint pain is site-specific – your wrists might ache like mad, while knees feel fine. If any particular exercise tweaks an acutely painful joint, don’t do more. Instead, move on to the next one. Sudden, acute pain in the shoulders, elbows, knees or ankle joints is a clear sign of overtraining. If you have obvious joint inflammation in one site, coddle it for a day or two, and skip exercises that work the area until swelling subsides. Exercise is like taking joint pain medication: “You have the twin goals of effectiveness and safety,” Gordon says. “Strike a balance between the two.” What's Your Fitness Style? Aspects of your personality determine the kind of exerciser you are, so if you're in a fitness rut, it's time to put your unique interests back into the workout equation.