Want to strengthen your joints and say goodbye to pesky joints for good? We hear you! Exercise is crucial to help build strong joints - so movement really is key! If you’ve already got troublesome or painful joints then this might not be as easy as it sounds.

We know it can be easy or tempting to throw the exercise plan out of the window and prioritize other things if your current exercise routine is causing you discomfort, but we want to share with you some of favourite, super simple, joint-friendly exercises you can do to support your joint health, whilst you’re watching the TV! Yes, you heard that right! All of the exercises we’ll be sharing can be done from the comfort of your sofa… sounds good right?! 

If you’re worried about your joint health or you already experience painful, troublesome joints then it’s always best to check it out with your doctor before trying any exercises we’ve included below. 

Wrist bend and rotation

Movement: Whilst sitting at your desk, stretch your arms fully out in front of you and place your hands upwards. Bend and flex your wrists slowly to help strengthen your hands and wrists. Complete the bend and flex action 5 times, then pause and repeat again 5 times. Next, rotate your wrists in circular motions, to again stretch your wrists.

Duration: Rotate five times before a brief pause and then repeat 5 times. 

Frequency: It’s good to do this one everyday if you can. If you’re spending long periods of time at your desk, working on your computer then try stretching your wrists each day. 

Benefit: Using a computer for long periods of time isn’t always the best for our joints! This simple exercise strengthens your wrists, helps to increase flexibility and can also reduce the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) in your wrists! 

Seated spinal rotation

Movement: Sit upright in your chair and look straight forward. Slowly rotate your body to the side, keeping your spine in an elongated position (e.g. as you move, your head should move too). First move to the left and then come back to centre, before moving slowly to the right and come back to centre.

Duration: Repeat the movement 5 times on each side. 

Frequency: Complete this exercise 3-5 times per week. 

Benefit: This is a great exercise to prevent back pain and help to improve posture at your desk. It’s been estimated that up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives, so it couldn’t be more important to support your back and improve your posture! Strengthening your back muscles and stretching regularly will help to support both your back and joints for years to come! 

 

Shoulder rolls 

Movement: This one is super simple, sit upright with your back straight and slowly bring your shoulders up to your ears and rotate your shoulders in circular motions. If this is painful or causes discomfort then stop. Repeat the exercise daily to improve posture and improve flexibility in your shoulder. 

Duration: Complete 5 shoulder rotations then pause and then complete another 5.

Frequency: Complete this exercise 3-5 times per week. 

Benefit: The shoulder joint is one of the biggest and often most troublesome joints! It’s another one linked to bad posture, and can be made worse during times of stress. Loosening the shoulder joint with regular shoulder rolls can help to improve movement in the joint and increase the flexibility in the socket. 

 

Knee Bends

Movement: Stand with your feet hip width apart with your feet pointed slightly outwards. Softly bend your knees, ensuring that your knees always point in the same direction as your toes is essential. Make sure your knees don’t go past your toes, they should always remain in line. Straighten your leg and come back to centre. 

Duration: Complete the movement 10 times. 

Frequency: Complete this exercise 4-5 times per week. 

Benefit: This exercise is designed to strengthen your knee joint and is often used as part of a warm up for exercise. You may begin to notice some improvement in the flexibility of your knee joint within 2 weeks of frequently completing this exercise!

Give these simple exercises a go whilst you’re at your desk or watching your favourite TV show, you’ll thank yourself for it in the years to come! Don’t forget, if you give any of the exercises above a go and they cause you any pain, or you’re at all concerned about your joint health then don’t hesitate to get in touch with your GP for advice. If you want to find out more about how you can protect your joints, then check out our blog here!

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