Whether it’s an achy back, inflamed joints or a sore neck, aches and pains are unfortunately very common. But there are things we can do to help manage and lessen some of the pain. We spoke to a physiotherapist and a personal trainer to find out how to reduce inflammation, build strength and heal the body.
Meet the experts
Liz Marsland is a personal trainer and yoga teacher. She offers in-person and online programmes as well as support.
Nell Mead is a physiotherapist. She is also the author of How to Be Your Own Physio.
Use the red dot method
We all know that staying hydrated is important, but physiotherapist Nell Mead says it’s also vital if you struggle with pain. ‘We lose over a litre of fluid per day in urine, sweat and breath and that all needs replacing.
Your body sensibly prioritises your water intake, so the first litre or so you drink each day goes to the body areas that keep you alive – your brain, heart, lungs and gut – more than to your joints, muscles and nerves. And when your tissues are well hydrated, they're more pliable and less likely to become irritated or inflamed.’
So it’s important that we aim to drink at least two litres of fluid a day, including water, tea, coffee and sugar-free drinks, but this should be spread out. ‘Think of your body like a garden, it needs regular watering throughout the day, not just one big soak! My favourite hydration tip is to stick a small red dot sticker on your phone, table or kettle. Every time you spot it, take a sip of water. This simple visual reminder helps maintain steady hydration, which is crucial for keeping your joints lubricated and tissues healthy.’
Get up and move
Sitting too much is a major cause of pain, according to personal trainer Liz Marsland. She explains, ‘Sitting is a major contributor for chronic and short-term health risks. When we sit for long periods, the hip flexors become very tight and the lower back muscles, abdomen and hips become weak and this combination can lead to back pain. But I have been amazed at how regular movement can alleviate aches and pains. By spending time on gently moving the joints and muscles, we activate tension release, let go of stored stress and increase blood flow and oxygen delivery.’
She says doing something you like is key. ‘If people can find three or four movement-based activities they enjoy and help them feel more connected to others, then it won’t feel like work when you do it. Dancing, walking and gardening can be wonderful activities to do more of. And swimming has great results for lung and heart health.’
She adds that joining a local Pilates group for beginners, or following an online tutorial could be beneficial. ‘Pilates is a fantastic way to help stabilise the body by really working the small muscle groups and encouraging range of movement in the joints.’
Eat dark-coloured plants
Eating plenty of colourful plant-based foods is good for us, and Nell Mead says it can play a big part in reducing inflammation and therefore pain. She explains, ‘Your cells need antioxidants to function properly and stay healthy, because antioxidants fight free radicals, which cause tissue damage.’
She adds that variety is key. ‘An easy way to boost your antioxidant intake is to ‘eat a rainbow’ at each meal. Add colourful fruits and vegetables to your plate, perhaps blueberries with breakfast, red peppers in your lunch salad, and dark green vegetables with dinner. Each colour represents different antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and support healing. The darker the pigment, the higher the antioxidant level, so kale contains more than peas, and blackberries more than pineapple.’
Massage your collarbone
Nell Mead says doing a collarbone massage can help drain your lymphatic system, which reduces inflammation and pain throughout your body.
She explains, ‘Your body has an amazing waste removal system called the lymphatic system. While your blood delivers nutrients to your cells, your lymphatic system takes away the waste products. However, unlike your blood system which has your heart as a pump, your lymphatic system doesn't have its own pump, it relies on movement and pressure differences to flow. All the lymphatic fluid in your body eventually drains into your heart via vessels that run underneath your collarbones (clavicles). To encourage this, use comfortable circular movements with your fingertips to massage the areas just underneath and then just above your collarbones for 2-3 minutes, particularly before getting up in the morning or after being still for a long time.’
She adds, ‘Use a pressure that feels pleasant and therapeutic, similar to how you might massage a tired muscle. This helps create that area of low pressure, encouraging your lymphatic system to drain more efficiently, which in turn helps reduce inflammation and pain throughout your body.’
Try the 90-minute rule for sleep
Sleep and pain can go hand in hand. Nell Mead explains, ‘Poor sleep is linked to increased pain sensitivity, so getting good-quality sleep can significantly reduce your perception of pain. Your body does most of its repair work when you are in deep sleep, and your brain also uses this time to clear out inflammatory waste products through its glymphatic system – think of it as your brain's nightly cleaning service.’
Getting a good amount of sleep can be easier said than done, but Nell advises, ‘Sleep works in 90-minute cycles, so organise your bedtime accordingly. If you need to wake up at 7am, count backwards in 90-minute chunks to find your ideal bedtime. For example, waking at 7am means you should aim to fall asleep at either 10pm to get nine hours’ sleep, or 11.30pm to get seven and a half hours sleep. This helps ensure you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle, feeling more refreshed.’
Try a spinal twist stretch
Marsland says some aches and pains can be down to tension, something that stretching can ease. She explains, ‘A deep stretch refers to when we hold a position for an elongated amount of time, more than 60 seconds and up to five minutes, and use our breath (long inhale and slow, longer exhale) to signal to our bodies that it is ‘safe’ to release the position more. This can start to help connective tissues such as fascia and tendons to start to release their grip. Once you have a release like this on a regular basis, you may start to see improvements of posture and pain.’
She recommends a cross-legged low-back reclined twist. ‘Spinal twists allow our spine to receive more blood flow, for your lower back to ease and hips start to release.’ To do this, lie flat on your back and cross your right leg over your left leg. Slowly twist to the right so your left knee is close to the floor. Keep the opposite shoulder down so your shoulders remain flat on the floor. Hold for as long as you feel comfortable and then switch sides.
Give a standing stretch a go
‘If you have ever suffered sciatica you may know the piriformis [a small diagonal glute muscle] is the culprit,’ explains Marsland. ‘It can get very tight and cause tension pulling into the back as well.’
You can stretch your piriformis sitting or standing. While sitting, ensure you are sitting upright and then rest one ankle on the opposite knee. Slightly lean forward, gently pressing on your bent knee with your hand until you feel a stretch along the underside of your thigh. To perform the piriformis standing stretch, stand behind a sofa or soft chair that isn’t too high and rest the outside of your lower leg on the back of the sofa or chair with your knee bent and hip rotated. Your foot should be in front of your body, not to the side. The stretch can be increased by leaning forward towards the table. Ensure you perform on both sides and hold for how ever long is comfortable.
Build strength
Marsland explains that building muscle can really help with aches and pains. She says, ‘Strengthening muscles helps to stabilise our bodies, improve balance and reduce the chance of osteoporosis.’
When doing movements like squats and lunges, Marsland says, ‘I always tell my clients to be aware of activating their stomach and glutes at the same time.’
The key for all strength exercises is to build them up. ‘Start with some resistance exercises using resistance bands and small weights, as well as body weight exercises and then build up to heavier weights and more advanced movements.’
Annabelle Lee is a Lifestyle Editor at Bauer Media. She specialises in health, wellness and lifestyle celebrity content.
Annabelle studied Journalism at The University of Sheffield and started her magazine career at Cosmopolitan in 2010. She has since worked across a wide range of women’s interest magazines and remains passionate about writing and long form features. Her favourite part of the job is that she gets to constantly learn new things, interview fascinating experts and share their advice with readers.