- New research reveals that nearly a third (30%) of adults aged 45 and over avoid exercise due to aches and pains and one in ten (11%) are not exercising at all due to fear of injury1
- Boots Superintendent Pharmacist Claire Nevinson shares advice on how people can comfortably get moving again
- Olympian Michelle Griffith-Robinson partners with Boots to share her tips on how to help prevent commonly experienced aches and pains through gentle movement
New research from Boots reveals that for adults aged 45 and over, aches and pains are the biggest barrier to exercising, with nearly a third (30%) citing this as the main reason for not exercising and one in ten (11%) not exercising at all due to worry of injury.2
Yet gentle physical activity like walking is one of the best things people can do to manage their symptoms.3 Despite this, one in five adults over 45 (20%) are currently walking for less than 10 minutes a day according to Boots’ research.
To help people overcome different pain barriers, Boots Superintendent Pharmacist Claire Nevinson shares her top tips on how to start moving when experiencing aches and pains. Boots has also partnered with Olympian and fitness expert, Michelle Griffith Robinson, to help people get moving safely to prevent injury and the exacerbation of aches and pains.
Claire Nevinson said: “Aches and pains can really get you down and sometimes make you avoid movement all together. But it is so important to try to keep moving – something as easy as walking can often ease discomfort. Of course, if your pain is so bad that any movement is causing you severe discomfort, you should speak to your GP or local health clinic as soon as possible.”
Claire’s top three tips on how to get comfortably moving again are:
1. Over-the-counter medicines can help
“For short term pain relief, over-the-counter medicines could be an option to consider, but it’s important to find the right one for you. Paracetamol* is usually suitable for non-nerve pain like headaches and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen* can work better on inflammatory pain like strains and sprains. If you’re ever unsure, your local pharmacist can advise.”
2. Try joint supports
“Joint supports can provide stability and reduce the pressure and swelling around injured areas like knees, wrists and ankles. They can be helpful for people trying to maintain an active lifestyle while recovering from an injury, without significantly restricting movement. For knee support specifically you could try the Boots Sports Knee Support, available in selected stores and on boots.com”
3. Hot and cold therapy can be effective
“Applying either heat or cold to affected areas are simple and effective ways to reduce discomfort and minimise recovery time from injuries like muscle strains. If you have stiff or sore muscles, applying heat can help by improving and increasing the blood flow to your injury. If you have suffered from a sprain or injury, cold therapy works by reducing the blood flow, which helps minimise the swelling and pain.”
Celebrated Olympian, Michelle Griffith Robinson shares her top tips for safe and gentle movement for some aches and pains. Together, Boots and Michelle have created three exercise videos, designed to help strengthen joints, whilst providing motivational tips and advice for back, knee and hip pain. People should speak to their GP before starting any new forms of exercise if they have an existing medical condition or have not exercised in a while.
Back pain
“If you’re experiencing back pain whilst exercising, it doesn’t mean you should avoid exercise completely. A great place to start is by slowly easing yourself into walking. You should start at a slow and steady pace for at least 10-minutes a day and when you feel more comfortable you can try going further or walking at a faster face.”
Knee pain
“Simple exercises can prepare your body for gentle physical activity, boost performance and help to prevent injury. If you’re experiencing knee pain, it’s important to warm up and cool down as this can help get movement and strength back. My favourite stretches for both pre and post exercise are three sets of five rep lunges on each leg and three sets of 10 body weighted squats.”
Hip pain
“Whilst it is important to stay active, one thing you can do if you’re experiencing hip pain is reduce the speed of your movement and increase rest time. This allows you to stay active but reduces the intensity of the actual exercise. So, if you’re walking, I would recommend taking breaks in 1-minute intervals as this will allow your body to recuperate and your muscles to get used to moving.”
For more information and guidance visit the pain relief selector tool on boots.com, which can help identify what products may be suitable based on the level of discomfort experienced and where on the body its located.
*Always read the label.
1,2 All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2013 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd - 4th March 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
3 NHS, 10 ways to reduce pain