Can Too Much Exercise Cause Joint Pain?
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“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.
