Day 25 Tips – Rest is Not the Cure – Moving with Rusty Joints

Why Resting Your Joints Can Make the Pain Worse

If you have started this challenge and noticed your knees clicking or your shoulders feeling a bit grumpy, your first instinct might be to sit down and rest. But for the human body, stillness is not a healer; it is a consolidator of stiffness. Our ancestors did not have the luxury of sitting in chairs all day. They squatted to cook, walked miles to gather, and carried heavy loads well into their later years. Their joints stayed oiled because they never stopped moving. If you have sore joints, the answer is rarely to stop. The answer is to move differently.

The Science: The Oiling Effect

Joints do not have a direct blood supply. They rely on something called diffusion to get nutrients. This only happens when you move. Think of your joint fluid like oil in an engine. When the car sits in the garage for years, the oil gets thick and gunky. When you start the engine, it might creak at first, but as the oil warms up and circulates, the movement becomes smooth. When you feel discomfort, it is often just your engine warming up after years of being underused.

Today’s Task: The Modification Protocol

Today we are learning to distinguish between effort and injury. We want to keep the muscles working without forcing the joint into a position it isn’t ready for yet.

• The Workout: Complete the Day 25 Joint Health and Mobility session.
• The Edit Rule: If an exercise feels uncomfortable, do not stop. Simply edit the move:
  • Slow it down: Speed often creates friction. Move like you are underwater.
  • Shorten the range: If a deep squat hurts, do a shallow one.
  • Find support: Hold onto a chair or wall to take the balance stress off the joint so the muscle can do the work.
• The Goal: Keep your muscles working. Muscles are the shock absorbers for your joints. The stronger the muscles, the less the joints have to carry.
• Total Time: 10 minutes.

Why This Matters

When you modify instead of quitting, you keep the circulation flowing. This pumps fresh nutrients into the joint capsule and helps tissues settle. Over time, your range of motion will naturally increase because your nervous system learns that movement is safe. You are training your body to be resilient, just like the generations of women before us who stayed active and capable throughout their entire lives.

The Fabulous Micro-Win

• The Task: Complete the 10 minute session using at least one edit if you feel stiffness.
• The Reflection: Notice how the joint feels after the 10 minutes compared to before. Usually, once the oil is warm, the discomfort fades. That is your body telling you it was made to move.