Millions of Americans struggle with joint pain every day. If you suffer from nagging joint pain, consider these tips to help manage the pain with these simple exercises.

Warm Up

Gentle movements help your body get ready for a workout. Repeat each of the following exercises 3-5 times and be sure to ease into each of them: shoulder shrugs, arm circles, overhead stretches, and bending forward to touch your toes.

Take a Dip

Cardio exercise is a great way to strengthen muscles that support the joints. Swimming helps to give you the benefits of cardio without putting added stress on your joints.

Listen to Your Body

While soreness is expected after a workout, exercise should not cause pain. If you’re hurting for more than a couple days after exercise, ease up on your workout plan and give your body time to get used to the new routine. If your pain continues, it may be wise to see a health-minded practitioner.

Good Posture Counts!

Poor posture can cause joint pain over time. Posture is critical to the alignment of the joints in the body from your neck to your feet. For example, a forward head posture from prolonged sitting will tend to make the shoulders protrude forward and weaken back muscles. This can sometimes cause a nerve impingement in the shoulders and rotator cuff muscles, leading to chronic pain.

A Lovely Soak

Epsom salt contains magnesium, which may be absorbed through the skin and thus, help relieve inflammation. Add half a cup of Epsom salts to a bowl of warm water and soak a painful joint, such as a wrist or elbow, for 15 minutes or more.

Quit Smoking

The toxic elements in cigarettes can cause stress in connective tissues as well as aggravating abdominal and joint pain. Quitting smoking may be one of the most significant things you can do to improve your health and manage pain.  Yes! It’s worth the effort!