Why it's important to warm-up before exercise if you have osteoarthritis

It can be tempting to avoid exercise when you have osteoarthritis, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.

If you do regular exercise, it will help you manage your condition with less pain – but don’t jump straight in. 

Before you start any exercise, particularly in winter, you should take 10 to 15 minutes to do gentle exercises to get your blood circulation going.  

“A warm-up is [essential] for any physical exercise,” says Uzo Ehiogu, specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham.  

“This is particularly important for people with osteoarthritis, as pain and stiffness are the hallmarks of this condition,”  he says.

“A warm-up increases both muscle and joint temperature, which can increase the range of motion in the joints and soft-tissue flexibility. This can have a positive effect on joint-related issues.”  

Coping with the cold 

When the temperature is low, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. 

Warming up properly and raising your body temperature will allow your joints to move more freely. It will also reduce stiffness, reduce your chance of injury and allow you to exercise to the best of your ability. 

Studies have shown that exercise also helps your synovial fluid to work better. This can lead to less pain and increased joint movement.  

Synovial fluid is made inside the capsules of some joints. It helps to nourish and lubricate the joints so they can move smoothly against each other. Synovial fluid decreases as you age and that’s partly why joints stiff and don’t move as well over time. 

Take your time

The temperature will affect how long you need to spend warming up.

For example, if you’re exercising indoors at home, it will not take as long to warm up compared to when you're exercising outside. 

10-15 minutes of gentle exercise that raises your heart rate should be enough to get the body warmed up and prepared for exercise. 

Cooling down 

Cooling down after your exercise is key. “After you have finished your exercise, a short period of progressively slower and less demanding exercise can be beneficial as part of your recovery.” says Ehiogu. 

You may feel some discomfort while exercising and wonder if you should stop or if you are causing more damage to your joints. However, exercising at a suitable level for you can ultimately reduce your pain.  

A small short-term increase in pain can be expected, especially if our body is not used to exercise. The pain should settle back to normal within a few hours after exercising. If it doesn’t, this may be a sign that you have pushed yourself too hard.  

The exercise might have been too challenging or maybe you did too much to begin with. Take a few days rest to recover and then restart the exercise at a lower intensity than before, to make it more manageable.