How to Train Safely When You Have Joint or Muscle Pain
- Olly
Joint and muscle pain are far more common than most people realise. A recent UK survey found that pain is the number one reason adults avoid exercise, with almost half of people saying aches stop them from training. The number is even higher in those aged fifty and above.
You might recognise some of these thoughts.
“My knees hurt when I squat.”
“My back tightens up whenever I start running again.”
“I want to stay active, but I do not want to make anything worse.”
If any of that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Pain can be discouraging, but avoiding movement is rarely the answer. In many cases, consistent and smart training is exactly what your joints need to feel stronger and more stable.
Here is how to train safely and stay active without making symptoms worse.
Warm your body properly before training
A proper warm up is one of the most overlooked habits. It does not need to be long or complicated, but it must be intentional.
Try this simple sequence:
- Light cardio for two to three minutes to raise your temperature.
- Mobility circuit for the joints you plan to use.
- A few controlled movements that mimic your session, like bodyweight squats, lunges, and non working sets.
- A warm muscle is more flexible, absorbs force better, and is less likely to react with tightness or pain.
Strength training is your best long term joint protection
Many people fear the weights room because they think it will make pain worse, but the opposite is often true. Strong muscles support your joints, improve stability, and reduce the load on the areas that usually ache.
If you are training in your forties, fifties or beyond, strength work becomes even more important. Muscle mass and bone density naturally declines with age and that affects balance, movement quality, and resilience. Keeping your bones, tendons and muscles strong has an enormous effect on how you feel each day.
Start simple. Bodyweight movements, machines, or light dumbbells all help. Progress slowly and pay attention to form rather than weight.
Modify movements rather than avoiding them
A painful movement does not always mean a harmful movement. Often the fix is a slight adjustment.
- Reduce the range
- Slow the tempo
- Change foot position or angles
- Use lighter loads
- Switch to a variation that feels better
For example:
If deep squats irritate your knees, try a box squat.
If barbell overhead pressing bothers your shoulders, use a neutral grip with dumbbells.
If deadlifts trigger your lower back, try Romanian deadlifts or hip thrusts instead.
Movement should feel challenging, not painful. Challenge builds strength. Pain teaches you to adjust.
Build mobility into your week
Mobility is not stretching for the sake of it. It is about improving how well your joints move through their natural range.
Better mobility means better technique and less compensation from the wrong muscles.
Aim for ten to fifteen minutes a few times a week. Hips, upper back, shoulders and ankles tend to be the biggest trouble spots. Think of mobility as your maintenance routine, the same way you service your car before a long drive.
Cool down to help recovery
Most people finish their final rep and head straight for the exit. A simple cool down, even for two minutes, helps reduce tightness and prevents the stiff, achy feeling the next morning.
Walk gently, breathe slowly, and static stretch the areas you have worked. This signals your body to shift from effort into recovery.
Know when to rest and when to keep moving
There is a difference between discomfort and pain.
Discomfort is normal. Pain is a signal to adjust.
Sharp pain, sudden swelling, or pain that gets worse with every rep needs attention. Stop and modify. On the other hand, general stiffness or mild aches often improve once you begin moving. You learn to tell the difference with experience, which is why consistency is so important.
The bottom line
Pain does not mean you need to stop training. It means you need to train smarter. Warm up properly, build strength gradually, improve your mobility, and listen to your body without giving in to fear.
Your goal is not to avoid all discomfort. Your goal is to build a body that feels capable, strong, and able to move well for the long term.
Keep training. Keep adjusting. Keep looking after yourself
