5 moves that work wonders for stiff, achey joints

To be able to keep moving like the age you feel rather than the number of candles on your birthday cake, you need to look after your joints. If we’re not careful, the creaks and stiffness that start to creep in around midlife can begin to have a serious impact on our quality of life as we get older. It may start with not being able to run 5k like you used to, before developing into not being able to do the day-to-day things we take for granted such as getting off the couch to pick up the remote control, or lifting the shopping bags out of the car.

While it’s never too late to start looking after our bodies, prevention is always better than cure, says expert osteopath to the stars, Nadia Alibhi. An osteopath’s job is to take a holistic look at the body and figure out how to get the joints and muscles working to function properly, using various techniques of stretching, massage and manipulation which can be the secret tool to aging well.

beautiful woman with dark hair posing with pillows — Nadia shares her advice for keeping your joints supple in midlife and beyond

“As an osteopath, I listen to how my patients are feeling, whether it’s help for pain relief, improving their posture, helping them look taller, increasing flexibility or general feedback on how they are feeling in their body,” she tells HELLO!. “I diagnose what is wrong with them, whether it’s disc irritation or tech neck (caused by looking at too many screens) and from there, I put together a bespoke plan to help alleviate what they are feeling and improve their lifestyle.”

Nadia’s clients range from the busy school run mum to celebrities such as Jenna Coleman, Downton’s Lesley Nicol and Sophie McShera to stressed out bankers. But all of them go to her for the same reason: to keep their joints fit and healthy and keep pain at bay.

Why is it important to look after your joints?

“To keep yourself mobile, to prevent stiffness and to move with ease and comfort,” Nadia says. “Healthy joints enable freedom of movement. Neglecting them can lead to wear and tear, pain, stiffness and later in life the development of conditions such as osteo arthritis.”

Woman rubbing aching back — Healthy joints enable freedom of movement, says osteopath Nadia Alibhai

If you are feeling stiff and achey, there may be an easy explanation – and solution – as to why. “We have something called synovial fluid between our joints that help our joints to move smoothly and with ease. Each time we move, the synovial fluid lubricates our joints. However, if we stay sitting for long periods, the synovial fluid gets thicker and doesn’t lubricate our joints in the same way, leading to stiffness and later aches and pains.”

There is one key piece of advice that Nadia has for all of her patients that everyone at any age can take on board to help with the effectiveness of synovial fluid and prevent joint stiffness. “Movement is key,” she says. “As I love to say, ‘motion is lotion’.”

Three cut-outs of midlife women smiling at the camera against a dark pink background

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Osteopath approved tips for easing aching joints

Here, Nadia The Osteopath shares her top tips that we can use at home every day to keep us mobile and our joints in good shape for a long time to come.

1. Rebounding

“I use the Bellicon rebounder which I love, it is a mini trampoline, made bespoke for your weight. Rebounding helps to keep your joints mobile as well as strong without impacting the joint.”

Woman jumping on mini trampoline — Trampolining has multiple benefits for physical fitness

2. Collagen

“I go through phases of taking collagen and usually tend to take it during the autumnal and winter months as it supports my joints by providing the building blocks for cartilage, tendons and ligaments, potentially improving joint function, increasing mobility and reducing pain. I am currently using a brand called ‘Totally Derma’ which is a hydrolysed collagen and has the added vitamin C, which helps with absorption and synthesis.”

3. An anti-inflammatory diet

“An anti-inflammatory diet is important for your joints: fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and a focus on whole-foods such as leafy greens, berries, nuts and seeds are crucial – especially if you are someone who notices stiffness and inflammation.”

Businesswoman has stiffness in neck and shoulders from work at computer, tech neck or computer syndrome. Young female feeling under pressure, overworked spending long hours in office. — As we get older, our synovial fluid can thicken, resulting in stiff joints

4. Strength training

“This helps build the muscles, ligaments and tendons which act as a supportive brace, reducing joint stress and lessening the risk of injury. It also helps maintain bone density, replenish cartilage lubrication and reduce stiffness and pain.”

5. Keep moving

“Daily movement is important. Research shows that we need to get out of our seats every 30 minutes and move,e as it helps with our joints as well as our cardiovascular system. I recommend my patients get up and move or stretch, especially those that are desk-based.

Slim brunette woman in a brown all in one outfit — Nadia tries to make sure she moves every day – even if just a little bit!

Working from home can sometimes make it even harder. Set an alarm to get you up every 30 minutes, have a bathroom break, fill up your water bottle or pop the kettle on, whichever it is, movement is essential.

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