How to Strengthen Your Joints: For Healthy Joints and Less Arthritis.
- Baytide Health
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
When most people think about “getting stronger,” they imagine lifting weights, building muscle, or working on core stability. But here’s the truth: your joints need strength too!
As an occupational therapist, I often remind patients that joints are like the hinges of the human body. Just like a hinge keeps a door moving smoothly, your joints allow for motion, flexibility, and strength. And just like hinges, joints stay healthier when they’re supported and maintained.
Let’s take a quick look at what makes up a joint before diving into some easy exercises to strengthen your joints that you can do at home.
What Makes Up a Joint?
Ligaments – Strong, rope-like bands that connect bone to bone. They tell our brain where are joints are and how they are moving. Think of them as the duct tape that holds your joints steady. They don’t stretch much, which is important for stability.
Muscles & Tendons – Muscles create movement, while tendons connect muscle to bone like a pulley system. Strong muscles protect your ligaments and help your joints stay supported.
Cartilage & Joint Capsule – Cartilage provides cushion, while the capsule wraps the joint, keeping everything in place and gliding smoothly.
The takeaway? Healthy joints depend on strong surrounding muscles and good movement patterns. Let’s look at a few specific areas where joint strength really matters.
Strengthening Your Thumb Joints
Our thumbs are small but mighty—they help us grip, pinch, and perform countless daily tasks. Weakness or arthritis in the thumb can make opening jars, buttoning clothes, or holding your phone uncomfortable.
Try this exercise:
Thumb Extension and Abduction with Resistance Band
Place a small rubber band around your first 2 fingers and thumb.
Slowly press give a thumbs working against the band’s resistance.
Repeat 10 times on each hand for 2-3 sets.
Then keep the rubber band on and lay your hand flat on the table, slide your thumb open and closed against the bands resistance.
Repeat 10 times on each hand for 2-3 sets.
These targets the muscles, which stabilize the thumb joint.
Strengthening Your Shoulders
Your shoulder joint is the most mobile in the body—great for reaching, lifting, and rotating, but also prone to instability. Imagine a golf ball sitting on a tee—that’s your shoulder! It needs strong muscles to keep it secure.
Two great shoulder exercises:
Scapular Squeezes
Sit or stand tall.
Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together as if tucking them into your back pockets.
Hold 5 seconds, repeat 10 times several times per day. This builds postural support and shoulder stability.
Wall Angels
Stand with your back flat against a wall.
Slide your arms upward like a snow angel, keeping elbows and wrists close to the wall.
Lower slowly and focus on using your back muscles to squeeze. Improves posture and supports shoulder alignment.
Strengthening Your Hips
Your hips are the foundation of your lower body. They power walking, standing, bending, and balance. Weak hips can contribute to low back, knee, or even ankle pain.
Two go-to hip exercises:
Clamshells
Lie on your side with knees bent.
Keep feet touching as you lift your top knee.
Repeat 10–15 times per side. Activates the glutes to support your hip joint capsule.
Bridges
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
Lift hips toward the ceiling, squeezing glutes at the top.
Lower slowly. Strengthens both your glutes and core, giving your hips more stability.
Need to level it up? Put your feet on something unstable like a pillow or ball.
Download a free exercise guide with these exercises here!
Strong joints = a stronger you. By targeting the muscles around your thumbs, shoulders, and hips, you’re not only reducing strain on your ligaments but also protecting your body for years to come.
At Baytide Health, we believe in holistic, proactive care. Building joint strength is one of the best ways to keep enjoying the activities you love—whether that’s carrying groceries, gardening, or dancing in your kitchen.
If you’d like a personalized joint-strengthening program tailored to your daily routines, reach out to us today. We’d love to help you move with strength, stability, and confidence.
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