Five Signs Your Joint Pain And Arthritis Is Caused By Movement And Strength Issues
Over time, poor movement patterns and muscle imbalances place extra stress on our joints—leading to pain and injury as we age. That’s why any effective plan to relieve joint pain must go beyond temporary fixes and focus on restoring proper movement and building strength. If you’re wondering whether your pain is rooted in these issues, here are five key signs to watch for.
Previous Injury
A prior injury is the single greatest risk factor for developing future pain or injury. Any previous injury, big or small, can create lasting changes in the joints, muscles, and nervous system. These changes often disrupt normal movement patterns, reduce stability, and limit strength in the affected area. Over time, this compensation increases stress on surrounding tissues, making re-injury or chronic pain more likely if not properly addressed through targeted rehabilitation and strengthening.
Recurrent Pain
Experiencing the same pain multiple times is a strong indication that the underlying cause has not been properly addressed. Often, treatment focuses on reducing symptoms rather than correcting faulty movement patterns or muscle imbalances. Without improving movement and strength, the body continues to move in ways that place excess stress on joints and tissues. As a result, the likelihood of relapse increases, turning what could have been a temporary issue into a recurring or chronic problem. Identifying and correcting these movement issues is essential to keeping active as you get older.
Gradual Onset
If I asked you, ‘When did you pain start?’ could you think of an answer? Most adults have a hard time describing exactly when they’re pain started. They just sort of started noticing it more and more. When joint pain develops slowly over time, rather than from a single traumatic event, it often signals underlying movement deficiencies. Most injuries are not the result of one isolated incident but instead stem from repetitive stress placed on the body over a long period of time. Poor movement and strength create excessive impact on certain joints and tissues, gradually reducing their capacity to tolerate stress. Eventually, this cumulative strain reaches a tipping point, resulting in joint pain or injury. If you are unable to think of the ‘cause’ of your joint pain it’s an important sign that movement and strength must be addressed.
Sedentary Lifestyle
The human body is always adapting to the demands placed upon it. Your body build muscle to adapt to the demands of working out. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Long hours of sitting and other sedentary postures leads to muscle weakness, tightness, and imbalances that disrupt normal movement. As these changes accumulate, more impact is placed on your joints, setting the stage for pain and arthritis as you get older.
Limited Range of Motion
A restricted range of motion is one of the most common contributors to joint pain as we age. When we lose mobility—such as being unable to touch our toes, rotate our shoulders fully, or move into a deep squat—our body compensates. These small compensations place excessive impact on your joints. Over time, these compensations contribute to stiffness, discomfort, and injury. Restoring proper mobility is therefore essential to maintaining healthy movement and reducing joint pain.
The #1 cause of joint pain and arthritis in adults is movement and strength deficiencies. Joint pain in adults is rarely the result of one isolated incident—it is most often the product of how we move and how well our bodies adapt to daily demands. Previous injuries, recurring pain, gradual onset of symptoms, a sedentary lifestyle, and limited range of motion are all key indicators that underlying movement and strength deficits may be contributing to discomfort.
By identifying and addressing these factors through targeted strength training and mobility work, it is possible not only to relieve pain but also to prevent future injuries and maintain an active, healthy lifestyle well into the later years.
For the last 13 years I’ve been helping adults build the strength and confidence to live active, healthy, and happy lives. My free program ‘Solving Pain With Strength’ gives you a step-by-step, approachable way to build strength without stressing your joints. Download it below and get started feeling better today.
