A patient once told me that getting older had many benefits, including the fact that, as you age, you automatically begin meeting new friends. Chief among these new friends are Arthur Itis and Ben Gay.
As we age, the protective cartilage that cushions our joints can start breaking down, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness as our bones rub together. This happens most frequently in our necks, shoulders, spines, hips, and knees.
Understanding Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a degenerative disease characterized by changes to bone, spinal disks, and joints throughout the body and is associated with the wear and tear of life. It’s different from rheumatoid arthritis, which is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body (autoimmunity).
Clinically, osteoarthritis can be challenging to deal with. It often worsens over time and can rob us of our functional capabilities. Pain can make life miserable, and physical limitations can interfere with our ability to enjoy life fully.
Thankfully, there are some effective ways to fight back.
Starting your day with stretches and careful exercises can give your body an edge over osteoarthritis, helping you to reduce pain so you can perform tasks that might have been previously off-limits.
The following low-impact exercises target the most common areas for osteoarthritis. They are designed to gently prime your body for the day by keeping painful joints limber and warmed up. When performed consistently, they can loosen tight joints and increase your functional abilities. I recommend these exercises to all of my osteoarthritis patients.
5 Exercises for Managing Osteoarthritis
1. Compass Points—Neck
Necks can be highly affected by osteoarthritis, resulting in a “stiff neck,” a compensation for neck pain characterized by holding one’s head still and instead rotating the trunk to look around.
Step 1: Stand or sit straight up with your shoulders back; do not slouch or slump.
Step 2: Start by nodding your head downward as if trying to touch your chin to the top of your chest. Next, lift your head until your nose is pointing up toward the ceiling, moving as high as you can. (This is neck flexion and extension.)
Step 3: Returning your head straight up, slowly turn your head as far as you can to one side, as if you are trying to look over your shoulder. Repeat the movement to the other side. (This is left and right rotation.)
Step 4: Finally, after returning your head to a straight-up position, tilt it to one side as if trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Then, repeat the movement on the other side. (This is lateral flexion.)
Do these up/down, side-to-side, and lateral movements 10 times each. It’s imperative to move slowly, taking about two to three seconds to move in any direction. Listen to your body and avoid provoking pain in your neck. Keep your shoulders down during the exercise, and avoid leaning forward or backward. Your eyes should look to where your nose is pointing at all times.
2. Pendulum Exercises—Shoulders
Pendulum or “Codman” exercises, created by Dr. Ernest Codman to help patients regain range of motion, are some of the lowest-stress movements we do in the clinic. They are often the first active-movement exercises physicians order for shoulder fractures, repairs, and replacements. Pendulum exercises support a passive range of motion of the joint and require no muscle contraction.
Step 1: While sitting or standing, lean forward so that one of your arms hangs down. It can be helpful to lean on a countertop, table, or another surface to stabilize your upper body and take the stress off your lower back. Just be sure to allow adequate space for your arm to hang down and move freely.
Step 2: While relaxing your hanging arm, gently swing your arm slowly in a circular, clockwise pattern. Your hand should be describing an invisible circle about a foot in diameter. Perform this movement for 30 seconds, then reverse into a counterclockwise direction. Do not accelerate the movement, and keep your arm relaxed the entire time.
Step 3: Start swinging your arm forward and backward, approximately a foot in total distance. Do this for 30 seconds, then move your arm to a side-to-side pattern, swinging your hand a distance of about a foot from left to right for 30 seconds. Visualize drawing a “plus sign” in one direction at a time.
Step 4: In the same way, continue by drawing letters of the alphabet.
Complete the exercise with one arm and then the other.
The pendulum exercises are a great way to warm up your shoulders in the morning before you start your day. Complete at least one set of these exercises (circular, plus sign, and alphabet).
3. Reverse Wall Touches—Spine
This exercise is excellent for gently limbering up a stiff, painful spine.
Step 1: Sit or stand with your back to a wall, about 2 to 3 feet away. Good posture is essential for this exercise.
Step 2: Hold your arms straight out to your sides, then slowly rotate your shoulders around so you can eventually touch the wall behind you with your hand. Once you touch the wall, slowly rotate in the opposite direction and touch the wall.
Touching the wall with both sides counts as one repetition. Do 10 repetitions.
Avoid rotating your hips in the direction you are reaching, which is common when performing this exercise. The best way to remember this is to simply not move your legs at all during this exercise. Performing the exercise while sitting can help you control your hips if it’s a struggle to do so while standing.
4. Standing Alphabet—Hips
Hips are large, weight-bearing structures that get a lot of wear and tear over their lifetime. They are common pain points for osteoarthritis. This exercise allows excellent hip movement without a weight-bearing potential for provoking the hip joints.
Step 1: While standing, bring one leg forward off the ground. Using the toe of that foot, draw letters of the alphabet about a foot in size. Move slowly, taking a couple of seconds to draw each letter.
Step 2: Switch feet and perform the same movement on the other side.
You can either place your hands on your hips during this exercise or hold onto a counter or other supportive surface to help you maintain your balance. Try to keep your hips level to avoid placing stress on the weight-bearing hip.
Easy Exercises to Combat Arthritis
Part 1
5 Exercises to Overcome Osteoarthritis Pain and Restore Function
Part 2
5 Therapist-Recommended Exercises to Reduce Painful Gout Flare-Ups
Part 3
5 Exercises to Counter the Bizarre Symptoms of Raynaud’s Phenomenon
Part 4
5 Therapist-Recommended Exercises to Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis
Part 5
5 Low-Impact Exercises to Combat Painful Fibromyalgia
Part 6
5 Low-Impact Exercises for Psoriatic Arthritis Relief
Part 7
6 Therapeutic Exercises to Help You Manage Lupus
Part 8
5 Exercises to Ease Morning Pain and Stiffness
Part 9
Suddenly Arthritic: 6 Key Exercises to Help Counter Reactive Arthritis
Part 10
The Impossible Lid: Opening Containers When You Have Arthritis
Part 11
7 ‘Quadzilla’ Exercises to Strengthen Weak Legs and Improve Mobility
More from this series
5. Standing Kick Backs—Knees
Knees also bear a lot of weight and can suffer the effects of osteoarthritis. This simple exercise can help warm the joints and prepare them for a day of activity.
Step 1: Stand upright while holding onto a counter or piece of furniture for support.
Step 2: Slowly lift one foot behind you until your knee is bent to 90 degrees. Hold for one second, then lower your foot back to the ground. Repeat on the other side.
Lifting your foot up and then lowering it down counts as one repetition. For each leg, perform three sets of 20 repetitions.
Be careful not to accelerate as you perform these tasks. Take one or two seconds to move in each direction.
Feel free to modify these exercises to make them your own. Performing them each morning can help increase your joint flexibility, decrease pain, and maximize your functionality.
If you have health or mobility issues that may present problems, consult your physician before commencing exercise activity.
When gout strikes, it can feel like your joints are on fire. Specific exercises have been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent gout flare-ups.