5 Exercises to Ease Morning Pain and Stiffness5 Exercises to Ease Morning Pain and Stiffness
Exercise & Fitness

5 Exercises to Ease Morning Pain and Stiffness

When you wake up with pain and stiffness, it can be hard to get yourself moving. Yet exercise can significantly improve your mobility and reduce your pain.
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By Kevin Shelley
Updated:
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This is part 8 in “Easy Exercises to Combat Arthritis”

In this series, occupational therapist Kevin Shelley focuses on common types of arthritis and simple exercises to improve joint mobility and reduce pain.

If you have arthritis, you may wake up with pain and stiffness that limits your activities—at least until you’ve had time to limber up a bit. This is so common that therapists often schedule arthritis patients later in the day when they are more capable of participating in rehab.

While it may be hard to get moving, avoiding physical activity can cause muscles and joints to stiffen even more. Exercise has been shown to significantly improve joint function, relieve stiffness, and decrease pain.