Social Wellness

Strength training is not something you do once your joints feel good. It is often the reason they start feeling good.

Joint pain is one of the most common reasons people become less active as they age. Knees ache, hips stiffen, shoulders lose confidence. The natural instinct is to rest or avoid movement.

But the research is clear. Strength training does not damage joints.
It protects them.

Muscle stabilises joints

Every joint in your body relies on surrounding muscles to keep it aligned, controlled, and cushioned. When those muscles are weak or deconditioned, the joint absorbs more force than it should, leading to irritation and inflammation.

Many people think their joint pain is “just arthritis”. Often, it is weakness.

What the research shows

One of the most influential RCTs on knee osteoarthritis, published in JAMA (1997), found that a structured strength program decreased pain by 43 percent and improved function by 44 percent compared to an education-only control group.

A later meta analysis in Arthritis Care and Research (2019) confirmed that resistance training consistently improves:

• pain
• mobility
• physical function
• confidence in daily activities

Similar results appear in hip osteoarthritis, lower back pain, and shoulder pain.

Strong muscles act like scaffolding. They support the joints so they can move without fear.

Pain often improves before strength fully returns

This surprises people.
Within a few weeks of training, the nervous system adapts. You gain better motor control, better proprioception, and better stability.
Pain reduces not because the muscle is “big” yet, but because the joint suddenly feels safer.

What to focus on

A joint friendly strength program often includes:

• slow tempo squats
• supported split squats
• hip bridges and hinging patterns
• rowing and pulling
• controlled pushes
• carries for stability

Not heavy.
Just consistent.

You are not fragile

Avoiding movement because of pain makes the body less tolerant of load, which ironically increases pain in the long run.

Strength training builds resilience.
It restores trust between the brain and the joint.
It brings confidence back into your body.

You do not need to feel strong to start strength training. You become strong because you start.