From Couch to Crunches: Protecting Your Joints When Returning to Exercise

• Exercise is essential for maintaining your joint health.
• More than 500 million people around the world are living with joint problems, making it more difficult to stay active.
• About 30% of adults don’t get enough physical activity, despite recommendations from health experts that exercise can enhance joint function and overall joint health.
• Natural ingredients, such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM, are being studied for their ability to promote healthy inflammatory responses and recovery to support joint comfort.
• Supplements aren’t a replacement for exercise but may help you more comfortably and sustainably add exercise to your routine.

Introduction

Exercise plays a key role in keeping your joints healthy. If you’re one of the more than 500 million people around the world living with joint problems, it can be difficult to get back into exercise.1 After long periods of inactivity, your joints can feel stiff and sore when you start moving again.²

If you’re ready to add exercise to your routine, it’s natural to feel concerned about overdoing it. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. With the right support, you can ease back into fitness and move with confidence.

Ingredients Studied for Joint Health

If you’re looking for joint support for your re-entry into exercise, several natural compounds may support your active lifestyle.

Glucosamine Sulfate

Glucosamine is one of the building blocks of the cartilage that cushions your joints.³ A recent review of 15 studies shows that glucosamine may help minimize joint discomfort and enhance joint function.4 It may also help promote recovery after exercise and balance inflammatory signals.⁵

Chondroitin Sulfate

Chondroitin is a natural compound in cartilage that helps maintain joint lubrication and elasticity to keep your joints cushioned and flexible.^3,6 A meta-analysis showed that chondroitin can promote healthy joint function.⁷

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

MSM is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods. MSM can support joint comfort and reduce stiffness by promoting healthy inflammatory responses and supporting connective tissue essential for flexibility and resilience.⁸

Boron (as glycine citrate)

Boron is a mineral that supports your body’s ability to use key nutrients essential for bone and joint health, including calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium. It can also support your joint comfort and mobility with its inflammatory-balancing properties.⁹

Boswellia (cortex Boswellia carterii)

Boswellia is a natural plant extract known for its ability to support healthy inflammatory responses.¹⁰ A recent meta-analysis showed that taking Boswellia for 4 weeks may help support joint comfort.¹¹

Bromelain

Bromelain is a natural protein isolated from pineapples with inflammatory-balancing properties.¹² It may help curb joint stiffness and promote recovery associated with physical activity.¹³

Quercetin (Sophora japonica)

Quercetin is an antioxidant that can help minimize oxidative stress associated with exercise and promote healthy inflammatory responses.¹⁴ By supporting the immune system, quercetin may address muscle soreness and promote faster recovery after exercise.¹⁵

Methionine

Methionine is an amino acid that promotes the development of collagen, a crucial component of healthy joints.¹⁶

What the Experts Say

More than 30% of adults don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity.¹⁷ Health experts who specialize in bone and joint health strongly recommend exercise to support joint health. Exercise can result in physical changes that enhance your joint function.^18,19

Mild to moderate joint discomfort may occur when you start a new exercise program. For most people, early discomfort gets better with time and practice.² If you have moderate to severe discomfort, it’s important to stop your workout and contact your healthcare provider.

Supplements for joint health can’t replace exercise. However, adding a supplement to your routine may help you stick to your plan.

Conclusion

Joint stiffness can be a tough barrier to overcome when you’re trying to get back into exercising. But staying active is one of the best ways to promote optimal blood flow and lubricate your joints.2 Researchers are exploring the role of several natural ingredients — including glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM — for their potential to promote comfortable joint function and recovery. These supplements may help you comfortably and sustainably return to exercise.

If you’re looking for a supplement to support your joints while you get back into exercise, you can learn more about Joint Wellness Formula by Nano Singapore here.

References

1. Osteoarthritis. World Health Organization website. Updated July 14, 2023. Accessed April 18, 2025.
2. Working out through pain. Arthritis Foundation website. Accessed April 14, 2025.
3. Glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website. Updated October 2023. Accessed April 14, 2025.
4. Vo NX, Le NNH, Chu TDP, et al. Effectiveness and safety of glucosamine in osteoarthritis: A systematic review. Pharmacy. 2023;11(4):117
5. Fang L, Lin L, Lv Y, et al. The mechanism of aerobic exercise combined with glucosamine therapy and circUNK in improving knee osteoarthritis in rabbits. Life Sci. 2021;275:119375.
6. Ahmad SM, Hameed H, Al-Hussain SA, et al. Chondroitin sulfate: An ideal biomaterial based scaffolds for cartilage regeneration and its therapeutic potential. Carbohydr Polym Technol Appl. 2025;10:100742.
7. Honvo G, Bruyère O, Geerinck A, Veronese N, Reginster JY. Efficacy of chondroitin sulfate in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A comprehensive meta-analysis exploring inconsistencies in randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Adv Ther. 2019;36(5):1085-1099.
8. Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ. Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and safety of a novel dietary supplement. Nutrients. 2017;9(3):290.
9. Pizzorno L. Nothing boring about boron. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015;14(4):35-48.
10. Pérez-Piñero S, Muñoz-Carrillo JC, Victoria-Montesinos D, et al. Efficacy of Boswellia serrata extract and/Or an Omega-3-based product for improving pain and function in people older than 40 years with persistent knee pain: A randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial. Nutrients. 2023;15(17):3848.
11. Yu G, Xiang W, Zhang T, Zeng L, Yang K, Li J. Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020;20(1):225.
12. Pothacharoen P, Chaiwongsa R, Chanmee T, et al. Bromelain extract exerts antiarthritic effects via chondroprotection and the suppression of TNF-α-Induced NF-κB and MAPK signaling. Plants (Basel). 2021;10(11):2273.
13. Shing CM, Chong S, Driller MW, Fell JW. Acute protease supplementation effects on muscle damage and recovery across consecutive days of cycle racing. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016;16(2):206-212.
14. Wang H, Yan Y, Pathak JL, et al. Quercetin prevents osteoarthritis progression possibly via regulation of local and systemic inflammatory cascades. J Cell Mol Med. 2023;27(4):515-528.
15. Rojano-Ortega D, Peña-Amaro J, Berral-Aguilar AJ, Berral-de la Rosa FJ. Quercetin supplementation promotes recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Biol Sport. 2023;40(3):813-825.
16. Castrogiovanni P, Trovato FM, Loreto C, Nsir H, Szychlinska MA, Musumeci G. Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2042.
17. Physical Activity. World Health Organization website. Updated June 26, 2024. Accessed April 18, 2025.
18. Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162.
19. Kong H, Wang XQ, Zhang XA. Exercise for osteoarthritis: A literature review of pathology and mechanism. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022;14:854026.