🌼 Spring Into Joint Health: 5 Ways to Move Better, Feel Lighter & Age Gracefully
If your joints feel stiffer with each passing season—or you’re noticing more creaks and cracks than you’d like—you’re not alone.
Many women in their 40s and beyond experience changes in joint mobility during perimenopause and menopause. It’s not just age—it’s the shifting hormonal landscape, often accompanied by muscle loss, increased inflammation, and changes in connective tissue.
This is coupled with what ranges of movement we are habitually going into, or NOT going into on a daily basis. (That saying “use it or loose it” can be true for joint range of movement)
But there’s good news: you don’t need to push through the pain or accept stiffness as your “new normal.”
Let’s talk about 5 powerful ways to support your joints through movement that’s designed for real life and real bodies—not just 20-year-old athletes.
Inspired by my Level 5 Remedial Massage work, and rooted in my approach to pelvic floor-aware Pilates, Barre… AND now the new course I’ve taken with Ava Rodriguez of the Fitness Mobility Academy , here’s how we care for your joints from the inside out.
Below (with permission) is one of my lovely ladies, who has transformed her range of movement in 3 sessions. We have work to continue with, but so far this is wildly good!
1. 🌀 Move Your Joints Through Their Fullest pain-free Range
Stiffness isn’t just about age—it’s about how much you’re using (or not using) your joints.
If your daily movement is mostly linear (walking, sitting, reaching), your body will conserve energy by tightening up what you’re not regularly using.
💡 Try this within a pain-free range: shoulder rolls really thinking about getting the ball in the socket around a clock-face, ankle circles aiming not to skip any numbers around a clock, + hip internal + external rotations. (See this video for an example) These are great in short bursts—even while waiting for the kettle to boil.
The key here is to not allow other areas to compensate. For example; When we are looking at what capacity the shoulder joint has, and try shoulder circles, we are not allowing the torso to move with it.
This is known as Controlled Articular Rotations (1)
It’s not wrong to use more than one joint in one go, but if we want to check true rotation of the shoulder joint, we need to be able to isolate it, before integrating it with other areas.
“You are only as strong as your weakest link.
This means every joint must work optimally
on its own to be a reliable team player in the
orchestra.” Ava Rodriguez
2. 💆♀️ Myofascial Release Works Wonders
Your joints rely on the soft tissues around them—and if those tissues are tight, dry, or stuck, your joints will struggle to move freely.
Self-massage:
- using massage balls,
- foam rolling
And of course, myofascial-focused bodywork massage, can help hydrate tissues and free up movement in the very early stages or if you have acute pain.
Long-term we need to progress to active work to create a lasting change.
This type of work aids down-regulating the nervous sytem, which might be one of your 1st port of calls before moving a joint through it’s fullest range if you have acute pain.
💡 As a remedial massage therapist, I treat scar tissue from c-sections or laparoscopies, or post surgery around joints—a powerful way to restore glide and ease in the hips, back, and belly. I also show clients how to release there scars at home and then show them specific active work they can do to progress for long-term results
3. 🧘♀️ Mobility = Longevity
Mobility is beautiful—but without stability, you’re just flopping into stretch.
That’s where targeted control comes in: engaging your deep core, and taking a joint + it’s surrounding tissues through its fullest pain-free range is what we are aiming for with true mobility.
💡 In my classes, we integrate slow, intentional movements that focus on alignment—especially crucial for pelvic floor integrity and joint support during midlife transitions.
There are some powerful joint specific moves I am about to integrate within my Pilates – so keep your eye out for the “Joint Power” series coming soon.
4. 🌬 Breath: The Quiet Regulator
Yes, your breath impacts your joints.
Shallow, stressed breathing keeps your body in tension. When you learn to exhale fully and soften your ribcage, your spine, shoulders, and pelvis move more freely.
💡 Breathwork is a core part of my Ab Rehab and online sessions, as well as in my in-person classes—for both nervous system support and real physical results. Especially if you are in acute pain right now, remember you can access your breath anywhere, anytime, and this will help to down-regulate your nervous system.
5. 🌿 Progress Your Movement, Gently
The key to joint longevity isn’t doing more and longer—it’s about progressing the input.
Think of your body like a pond: you can’t let it stagnate – it needs forces and changes to keep it vibrant, oxygenated and healthy.
💡 That’s why my online studio includes short classes focused on specific protocols (yes there is a method to my madness!)
- Down-regulating tightness with breath,
- passive stretches + self massage,
- THEN active mobility which may include rotations + METS (2)
- And for longevity…start integrating the body as a team + strengthen!
Pilates with fabulous posture and play—to keep your joints (and nervous system) thriving!
Ready to Give Your Joints Some Love?
You don’t need long workouts, boring stretches, or punishing routines. You just need the right kind of movement, done consistently and kindly.
Want to experience it for yourself?
💫 Join my online studio from just £16/month
💫 Or drop me an email about my upcoming Joint Power 4 week focus.
Your body deserves to feel free and supported—at any age.
With love,
Jana xx
references:
(1) https://www.chirorange.com/the-range-blog/controlled-articular-rotations-cars-as-a-daily-practice
(2) Chaitow, L., & Crenshaw, K. (2013). Muscle energy techniques (4th ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
Please note, non of the above is medical advice, so if you have persistent undiagnosed pain, you must seek support from your GP.
Finally, a love note from one of my online clients!
