Expert Advice for Protecting Your Joints So You Can Stay Active at Any Age

If you’re one of the more than 247.1 million Americans who participate in a sport or activity, chances are you spend a lot of time perfecting your pickleball dink, lowering your golf handicap, or improving your split time.  

But keeping your body healthy so you can continue to play, run, and swing years from now takes more than a personal best—you need to add exercises and habits that support your joints.

Kevin Quigley, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician with BJC Medical Group at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West Hospital. Below, he explains how you can strengthen your body to support physical activity and long-term mobility through every stage of life. The most important takeaway? Keep moving, and if you feel pain or are sidelined with an injury, find an orthopedic specialist who can help. 

In your 20s: Build your foundation

Consider your early adulthood an opportunity to cultivate habits that will protect your joints later.  

“Your 20s are when you lay the groundwork for lifelong joint health,” says Dr. Quigley. “Just as you save for retirement, think of each healthy habit as an investment for your future. The small choices you make consistently might not seem like much now, but they can have a major impact on how well your body moves decades from today.”  

Focus on:  

• Moving in different ways. Strength training, cardio, and flexibility all matter.  
• Building muscle. To help support joints and absorb stress.  
• Perfecting your posture. Especially if you work at a desk or sit for long periods.
• Learning to recover. Focus on getting enough sleep, which helps your body repair.
• Eating for long-term health. Build healthy eating habits that include getting enough protein, calcium, and vitamin D to support muscle and bone health.  

Try: A full-body strength workout two to three times a week using your body weight or weights to build muscle and joint support early. Basketball or rock climbing, sports that build strength, coordination, and full-body control, are not only fun but also keep training varied and dynamic. 

In your 30s: Stay consistent even when life gets busy

By the time many people reach their 30s, they’re focusing on building careers, raising children, and helping take care of aging parents—and some are doing all three at once. This busy season of life is often when habits start to slip.

“The good news is that maintaining mobility and strength doesn’t require perfection,” says Dr. Quigley. “Consistent movement, even in small amounts, can protect joint health, reduce injury risk, and support long-term wellness.”  

Remember, movement doesn’t have to look like exercise. Dancing in the kitchen, playing outside with your kids, and walking during meetings all matter.

Focus on:

• Keeping strength training in your routine. If you sacrifice intensity for consistency in favor of getting the workout in, it’s worth it. Even short sessions can help.
• Breaking up long periods of sitting. Movement keeps joints healthy, so get in the habit of intentionally moving throughout the day.
• Addressing minor aches early. Pushing through can lead to further or new injury.
• Managing stress. Unchecked stress can affect sleep, which impairs recovery. It also can show up as tense muscles in the body.  

Try: Having “movement snacks” throughout the day. Set a timer to stand up, stretch, or walk for one to two minutes every hour. If you know you’ll ignore the timer, pair the movement snack with something you do often. Every time you send an email, get up and move around after. If you’re looking for more structured exercise, try running or recreational soccer. Both can be easy to slot into a schedule, social if that helps motivate you, and effective—even in short, inconsistent sessions. 

In your 40s: Support and protect

In your 40s, your body’s ability to repair itself slows down, your muscle mass may start to decline, and past injuries may start to catch up to you. It’s during this decade of life that you may start noticing subtle changes in how your body moves and feels. Your left knee might be sore after the daily walk you’ve been taking for years. And have you always had that achy feeling in your right hip, or is that new, too?  

“Your 40s are not the beginning of decline—they’re an opportunity to move more intentionally,” says Dr. Quigley. “When you focus on mobility, strength, and recovery, you’re helping your joints stay supported for the long term. Small adjustments now can make a big difference in how comfortably and confidently you move in the years ahead.”

Focus on:  

• Addressing old injuries. An orthopedic specialist can help diagnose and treat anything that’s bothering you. Untreated injuries can lead to new ones.
• Improving mobility and flexibility. Yoga and stretching can be beneficial.  
• Cross-training. Mixing up your workouts can help prevent overuse injuries by reducing repeated stress on the same muscles and joints.
• Keeping muscles strong. Strengthening the muscles around your joints can help reduce stress and provide added protection from injury.

Try: A weekly mobility routine—10–15 minutes of stretching or yoga—to keep movement smooth and reduce stiffness. BJC HealthCare sponsors sunrise yoga Tuesday mornings through September. Tennis and Pilates are also good options to build strength and boost mobility while encouraging control and reducing repetitive strain. 

In your 50s: Preserve strength and ease strain

In your 50s, joint awareness becomes more important because your body may not recover from strain as quickly as it once did. If you’re not in the habit of checking in with your body to notice subtle changes, this is a great time to start. Paying attention to how your joints feel—and supporting them with regular movement, strength, and recovery—can help keep you active long term.

Focus on:  

• Prioritizing joint-friendly movement. Low-impact activities like walking, swimming, and cycling can help keep joints active while reducing stress on them.
• Maintaining a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight can place additional pressure on your joints, especially the knees and hips.
• Staying consistent with activity. Regular movement—even gentle exercise—can help support joint health and mobility over time.

Try: A low-impact cardio activity like brisk walking or swimming three to five times a week to support joints without excess stress. Bonus: These activities also support cardiovascular health.

In your 60s: Keep moving, focus on balance

In your 60s, movement really is medicine. Muscle mass declines quicker without regular strength training, balance may change, and reaction times might slow. At the same time, many health risks become more consequential. Falls, for example, are a major cause of injury in older adults, and reduced strength or balance increases that risk.

“In your 60s, the goal is not to slow down—it’s to stay capable and confident in your daily life,” Dr. Quigley says. “Regular movement, balance training, and strength work help protect independence by keeping your body steady, resilient, and ready for the activities that matter most to you.”

Focus on:  

• Staying active daily. Regular movement can help reduce stiffness, improve balance, and support joint mobility.
• Improving stability to help with fall prevention. Strength training and balance exercises can help improve coordination and reduce the risk of injury.

• Listening to your body. Modifying activities when needed can help prevent unnecessary strain on your joints.

   

Try: A weekly routine that combines strength and balance, such as two to three days of resistance training paired with a short daily balance practice like single-leg stands. Golf or regular walking also support coordination, balance, and steady movement without high joint impact.

In your 70s and beyond: Maintain independence and comfort

In your 70s and beyond, rather than intensity or performance, the priority becomes keeping your body mobile, steady, and supported so you can keep doing the things you love. Gentle, consistent movement can help reduce stiffness, support balance, and preserve confidence and independence.  

“In your 70s and beyond, movement is about maintaining function and comfort in everyday life,” says Dr. Quigley. “Low-impact activities like walking help support balance, mobility, and joint comfort.”

Focus on:

• Choosing low-impact activities. Exercises like walking, tai chi, and water aerobics can help keep you active while putting less stress on your joints.
• Keeping joints moving gently. Gentle, regular movement can help maintain flexibility and mobility.
• Using support tools when needed. A brace, walking stick, or other support device may provide added stability.

Try: Moving with someone else when possible. Taking a walk with a friend or neighbor makes movement feel social and easier to stick with.

Find a BJC orthopedic specialist.  

About Kevin Quigley, MD  

Kevin Quigley, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician who sees patients ages 5 and older. He specializes in managing various orthopedic conditions, including knee, hip, and shoulder pain and disorders; hand and wrist disorders; arthritis, sports, and traumatic injuries; fractures, rotator cuff tears, and shoulder labral (SLAP) tears. He performs minimally invasive joint preservation, joint replacement and total joint replacement surgery of the hip and knee, arthroscopic management of the shoulder and knee, internal fixation, and reverse shoulder replacement.