Tips to protect your joints

If you haven't exercised in a while, start slowly. Don't push yourself too hard — that can overwork muscles and make joint pain worse.

Consider these tips:

• Keep the impact low. Low-impact exercises help keep joint stress low while you move. Examples include stationary or recumbent bicycling, elliptical trainer workouts, or exercise in the water.
• Use heat. Heat can relax joints and muscles and lessen pain before exercise. Deliver the heat with warm towels, hot packs or a shower. The temperature should be warm, not painfully hot. Use for about 20 minutes.
• Move gently. Move joints gently at first to warm up. You might begin with range-of-motion exercises for 5 to 10 minutes before you move on to strengthening or aerobic exercises.
• Go slowly. Exercise with slow and easy movements. If you feel pain, take a break. Sharp pain and pain that's worse than the usual joint pain might mean something is wrong. Slow down if you see swelling or redness in your joints.
• Ice afterward. Use ice on your joints for up to 20 minutes as needed after activity. This is even more important if your joints are swollen.

Listen to your body. Don't push too hard. Build up slowly. Add more and harder exercise as you get stronger.