Stronger muscles, happier joints and steadier balance, at any age. Let's get you moving, safely and with confidence.
Whether you have a sore back, a stiff knee, a grumpy shoulder or worries about falling, the right kind of movement is one of the most powerful treatments there is. Move Well brings together clear guides on common muscle and joint problems, follow-along exercise programmes, and practical advice on getting started, handling pain during exercise and finding the right help. It's never too late to start, and every little bit counts.
Updated October 1, 2026
In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.
Start here
A short video on what exercise does for your body, a guide to starting safely, and a checklist to get you going.
- What Exercise Does for Your Body: and how much you really need (video, 4:38)
Getting started: a checklist
- Check if you need advice before starting. If you have heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, a recent injury or surgery, or symptoms like chest pain or dizziness, talk to your care team first.
- Pick something you enjoy. The best exercise is the one you'll keep doing.
- Start low and go slow: a 10-minute walk, or a few simple strength exercises, is a great beginning.
- Add strength exercises 2 days a week, working your legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders and arms.
- If you're over 65 or feel unsteady, add balance exercises at least 3 days a week, next to something sturdy.
- Learn the pain 'traffic light': mild to moderate pain that settles within 24 hours is usually okay.
- Build up a little each week, aiming for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week over time.
- Know the warning signs to stop exercising, and keep a phone with you.
- Starting exercise safely: a friendly guide for every body: How to start moving more with confidence: whether you need to check with your doctor, how much to aim for, how to build up, warming up, and the warning signs that mean stop. (7 min read)
Choose an area
Each guide explains what's going on, your treatment options, the exercises that help most, and when to get help.
- Low back pain: Back pain and sciatica: why most gets better, what helps, the McGill Big 3, and the rare warning signs.
- Knee pain: Knee osteoarthritis and kneecap pain: why exercise works best, your options, and a knee conditioning program.
- Shoulder pain: Rotator cuff pain and frozen shoulder: what helps, when to get checked, and a shoulder conditioning program.
- Hip pain: Hip osteoarthritis and pain on the side of the hip: staying active, your options, and a hip conditioning program.
- Balance and falls: Why falls happen, the Otago strength and balance exercises, falls-proofing your home, and how to get up safely.
Exercise library
Eight follow-along programs you can do at home, at your own pace, with the reps, holds and form cues on screen. Pick the one for your area, or start with strength training for beginners.
Before you start: Check with your clinician first if you have a new injury, recent surgery, osteoporosis or heart symptoms. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness or chest pain. For chest pain, call 9-1-1.
The McGill Big 3
Three core-endurance exercises, the curl-up, side plank and bird dog, to help your back feel steadier and more comfortable.
Back & core; level: Beginner, with progressions; you'll need: Floor or mat; video, 6:33
Based on the published work of Dr. Stuart McGill
Spine Conditioning Program
Gentle stretches and strengthening for your back, belly and hips.
Back; level: Beginner; you'll need: Floor or mat; video, 6:30
Based on the AAOS OrthoInfo spine conditioning program
Knee Conditioning Program
Stretches and strengthening for the muscles that support your knee: the front and back of the thigh, hips and calves.
Knee; level: Beginner; you'll need: Mat and a sturdy chair; video, 8:56
Based on the AAOS OrthoInfo knee conditioning program
Shoulder Conditioning Program
Range-of-motion stretches and rotator cuff strengthening, to get your shoulder moving and keep it strong.
Shoulder; level: Beginner; you'll need: Resistance band or light weights; video, 7:08
Based on the AAOS OrthoInfo rotator cuff and shoulder conditioning program
Hip Conditioning Program
Stretches and strengthening for the muscles around your hip, to make walking, stairs and getting up easier.
Hip; level: Beginner; you'll need: Mat and a sturdy chair; video, 8:59
Based on the AAOS OrthoInfo hip conditioning program
Otago Strength Exercises
Leg-strengthening exercises from the Otago programme, for the front and back of the thigh, the side of the hip, and the calves.
Balance & legs; level: Gentle, for older adults; you'll need: A sturdy chair or counter; how often: 3 times a week; video, 8:53
Based on the Otago Exercise Programme
Otago Balance Exercises
Balance exercises from the Otago programme, from knee bends and sideways walking to heel-to-toe standing, always next to something sturdy.
Balance; level: Gentle, for older adults; you'll need: A kitchen counter or sturdy support; how often: 3 times a week; video, 7:05
Based on the Otago Exercise Programme
Strength Training for Beginners
How to start strength training safely: the main moves, how many sets and reps, and how to build up over time.
Whole body; level: Beginner; you'll need: A chair; light weights or a band (optional); how often: 2 days a week; video, 6:20
Follows the WHO and Canadian (CSEP) physical activity guidelines
When to stop exercising
Stop and call 9-1-1
- Stop exercising and call 9-1-1 for chest pain, pressure, squeezing or discomfort, or discomfort spreading to your arm, neck, jaw or back
- Severe shortness of breath that doesn't settle quickly when you stop
- Fainting, nearly fainting, or sudden confusion
- A racing, pounding or very irregular heartbeat with dizziness or light-headedness
- Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking, or a drooping face
- A fall during exercise with a head injury if you take a blood thinner, or you can't get up
Stop exercising and call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Don't drive yourself to hospital.
Stop or ease back, and get advice
- New swelling in a joint, or swelling that doesn't go down within a day or two
- Sharp, stabbing or sudden pain during exercise, or a 'pop' followed by pain or weakness
- Pain that is still worse than usual 24 to 48 hours after exercise, or that is building up from week to week
- New numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm or leg
- Dizziness, or more shortness of breath than usual for the effort you're doing
- A painful, swollen calf, especially after surgery, a long trip or time off your feet
- Severe muscle pain and weakness with dark, cola-coloured pee after hard exercise. Get checked the same day
- You aren't sure which exercises are safe for you after a recent injury, surgery or new diagnosis
Call your doctor, clinic or physiotherapist before you carry on with that exercise.
Exercise is very safe for most people, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. But if you have chest discomfort, severe breathlessness, faint or have stroke signs, stop right away and call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Don't drive yourself to hospital. For the second list, stop or ease back on that exercise and call your doctor, clinic or physiotherapist for advice.
Exercise and pain
Some discomfort during exercise is normal. Here's how to tell what's okay and what's not.
- Pain during exercise: how much is okay? The traffic light guide: Hurt doesn't always mean harm. Learn the pain-monitoring 'traffic light' that physiotherapists use, so you know when to keep going, when to ease back, and when to get checked. (6 min read)
Getting the right help
When to see a physiotherapist, what to look for, and what to ask.
- Choosing a physiotherapist: what to look for and what to ask: How to find a good physiotherapist (physical therapist) for back, joint or balance problems: checking they're licensed, what a good first visit looks like, signs of quality care, costs and coverage. (6 min read)
Getting stronger
Strength, sleep and staying active for life.
- Why Sleep Matters: what happens while you rest (video, 4:54)
- Strength training basics: getting stronger at any age: A beginner's guide to strength training for adults of any age: why it matters, how often, how many sets and repetitions, choosing the right effort, good form, progressing safely, and simple exercises to start with. (7 min read)
Questions to ask your team
- Is it safe for me to start exercising? Are there any activities I should avoid?
- Do any of my medicines or health conditions affect how I should exercise?
- How hard should I work, and how will I know it's right?
- Can you refer me to a physiotherapist, exercise programme or cardiac rehab?
- What symptoms should make me stop and call you?
From our guide Starting exercise safely: a friendly guide for every body.
Go deeper
Written for clinicians and students. More technical material from Hibbert Medical, for readers who want more detail.
Podcast summaries
- Exercise science podcasts: What the evidence says about activity, strength and training.
- Rehabilitation podcasts: Rehab specialists and physiotherapists on exercise, pain and recovery.
- Sports medicine podcasts: Sports medicine clinicians on injuries, tendons and getting back to activity.
- Geriatrics podcasts: Clinicians who care for older adults, including falls and frailty.
Lectures
- Exercise Prescription as Medicine: Residency rehab medicine: how clinicians prescribe exercise.
- Exercise Prescription and the Preparticipation Exam: Residency family medicine: who needs a check-up before exercise, and how to start.
- Malnutrition and Sarcopenia: Residency geriatrics: muscle loss with age, and what rebuilds it.
- Osteoarthritis: Evidence-Based Management: Residency rheumatology: exercise, weight, medicines and surgery for osteoarthritis.
Seminars
- Musculoskeletal Conditions: Clerkship seminar: back pain, knee pain and other common joint problems in family practice.
- Geriatrics in Primary Care: Clerkship seminar: caring for older adults, including falls and medicines.
Clinical cases
- Sarcopenia in an Aging Adult: Muscle loss with age, and how strength training helps.
- Rhabdomyolysis from Extreme Exercise: Why severe muscle pain with dark pee after hard exercise needs checking.
- Postmenopausal Osteoporosis with Vertebral Compression Fracture: Thin bones, a spine fracture, and staying active safely.
Common questions
How much exercise do I need?
The World Health Organization recommends that adults aim for at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week (like brisk walking), or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. Adults 65 and over should also do activities that combine balance and strength on at least 3 days a week. If that sounds like a lot, start small. Some activity is better than none, and every bit counts.
Is it safe to exercise if I have joint or back pain?
For most people, yes, and it's one of the best treatments. Exercise is recommended as a first treatment for back pain, knee and hip osteoarthritis and shoulder pain. Some discomfort during or after exercise is common and usually not harmful. A good rule is that mild to moderate pain that settles within 24 hours is okay. See our guide on pain during exercise.
Do I need to see my doctor before I start?
Most healthy people can start gentle to moderate activity without seeing a doctor first, as long as they build up slowly. Talk to your care team first if you have heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease or diabetes, have had a recent injury or surgery, or get symptoms like chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness. A short questionnaire, such as the Get Active Questionnaire from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, can help you decide.
Is it ever too late to start?
No. People in their 80s and 90s can build muscle strength and improve their balance with regular exercise. Strength and balance training lowers the risk of falls, and staying active helps you keep doing the things you love. Start where you are and build up slowly.
Should I see a physiotherapist?
A physiotherapist can be very helpful if you have pain, an injury, a long-term condition, balance problems, or you're not sure where to start. They can check how you move, set up a programme that fits you, and help you progress safely. In most of Canada and the U.S. you can book directly, without a referral. Our guide on choosing a physiotherapist explains what to look for.
Sources for this page
- Bull FC, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020
- WHO: Physical activity fact sheet
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (CSEP)
- CSEP: Get Active Questionnaire
- Riebe D, et al. Updating ACSM's recommendations for exercise preparticipation health screening. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015
- Fragala MS, et al. Resistance training for older adults: position statement from the NSCA. J Strength Cond Res. 2019
- Sherrington C, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019
- NICE NG226: Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management
General information, not medical advice. It does not replace your own care team. If you think you or someone else is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the US).