Locations:
Search IconSearch

The Best Exercises To Keep Your Joints Healthy

The goal is a balance of aerobic activity, flexibility exercises and muscle strengthening

A person outside stretching

Thanks to our healthy joints we can move, run, jump, twist and turn. All of the things that keep us moving freely and enjoying life.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

And as we age it’s natural that our bodies go through normal wear and tear over time. Our joints can too if we don’t proactively keep them in good shape.

Joints are where two bones come together, connected by ligaments and muscles for stability. Bones also have a layer of smooth, white tissue called articular cartilage. This tissue helps distribute compression forces and allow for smooth gliding when we move.

According to orthopedic surgeon Robert Molloy, MD, keeping your joints healthy should begin with the initial goal of reducing the wear and tear on the cartilage over time.

Be proactive and preventive

“It’s a circular approach in some ways. By keeping your joints healthy with an active lifestyle and continuing to stay active throughout your life, it sets you up to continue these activities that you love later on — whether it’s walking, running or other sports,” Dr. Molloy says.

Healthy joints also play an important role in preventing early-onset of pain and joint replacement surgeries — especially hip and knee arthroplasties.

Dr. Molloy recommends a three-way approach to the care you give your joints — continuing to move, picking the right exercises that reducing the load on the joints, and using and strengthening your core muscles (to positively affect posture which also reduces pressure on the joints).

Advertisement

This three-way combination is crucial to long-lasting joint function and reducing the potential for early arthritis. It even aids in better health outcomes for bone health, too.

Variety is key

Physical therapist Gary Calabrese, PT, DPT, advises on the specific training regimen you can build for healthy joints.

“The key to a successful exercise program is variety. Completing a balance of aerobic, muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises, along with keeping a healthy weight, will provide the base for good joint health for a lifetime.“

Here are some of the best exercises you can wrap into your routine to support your joint health.

  • Cross-training has become a popular way to add variety to your exercise routine, because you do different activities each time you work out.
  • Flexibility exercises allow us to maintain the full range of motion that joints desire. Active stretching exercises such as yoga, tai chi and pilates all help our joints stay ready for more intense exercise.
  • Stretching exercises should be performed before and after aerobic or strength training for maximum performance.
  • Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises should begin with relatively low intensity. As you age, you should avoid high-impact training such as jumping rope, step aerobics or running on hard surfaces such as city streets.
  • Low-impact exercises and sports like bicycling, paddleboarding, walking and swimming are ideal and can be performed with minimal equipment. Gym equipment with low-impact loads on the legs include using an elliptical, stair climber or stationary cycle.
  • Weight training keeps your muscles strong and allows for good joint stability. Performing weight training with proper form is critical, as is starting with low loads and higher repetitions for joint safety. Before starting a weight training program, you should seek the advice of a trained professional such as a physical therapist or exercise physiologist to develop the optimal program.

If you enjoy it you’ll stick with it

“Above all, you should pick exercises and activities that you enjoy and that meet a low joint load outcome,” he says. “This will help you stick to your activity and keep you active longer,” Calabrese says.

It’s also a good idea to seek help from a personal trainer or physical therapist when putting together the program that works best for you, especially if you’re an athlete with more performance goals and activity.

“Although there are treatments out there that can help chronic muscle and joint pain later in life, the true goal is to try to avoid getting there in the first place by taking care of yourself early on,” he emphasizes.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

two people wearing goggles and swim caps swimming in a pool
December 20, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
What Exercises Burn the Most Calories?

Cardio activities such as running, swimming and cycling offer immediate returns

person riding a bike
December 19, 2024/Brain & Nervous System
Exercises That Can Help Manage Spasticity

Stretching, water-based activities, cycling and treadmill training can all bring benefits

Two people wearing virtual reality gaming masks, exercising to what they see
December 12, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
Exergaming Can Improve Your Physical Fitness by Reimagining ‘Exercise’

Finding any reason to enjoy your movement is key, and active video gaming can help

Older person, in bike helmet, sitting on bike on trail in woods taking a break
December 10, 2024/Orthopaedics
Best Types of Exercise for Hip Arthritis

Swimming, cycling and walking can help keep your hips strong and mobile

Smiling person with headphones on, sweeping floor in living room
December 6, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
Understanding Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT Exercise)

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being

Person spotting a person doing an inclined bench press in gym
November 22, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
Here’s How To Do a Bench Press Correctly

Pulling your shoulders back and controlling the weight’s descent are key to a good bench press

Hand pouring scoop of supplement powder into shaker, with blurry pills on the counter
November 5, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
Is the Creatine Loading Phase Worth Doing?

The method can bring faster strength gains, but it’s not necessary

People using elliptical machines in a gym
October 22, 2024/Exercise & Fitness
10 Ways an Elliptical Machine Benefits Your Health

This low-impact, full-body workout burns calories and is easy on your joints

Trending Topics

Person sitting on floor at night next to bed in deep thought, with partner sleeping in bed
Understanding Mental Load: What It Is and How It Affects You

When you get bogged down with mental tasks, you can experience mood changes, sleeplessness and more

Hands holding two different kinds of pain medications separated by a white line
Can You Take Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Together?

You can alternate these OTCs to help with pain management and fever reduction

Smiling person with headphones on, sweeping floor in living room
Understanding Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT Exercise)

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis is all the activity we do that’s not technically exercise but is still important to your health and well-being

Ad