The Best Exercises for Soothing Aches and Pains

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Working out when you’re injured isn’t typically a good idea, but what if you could do exercises that actually soothe your aches and pains? Yep, they exist, and Sue Hitzmann, creator of the MELT Method, will show you how to do them. In this video, she guides Health senior editor Jacqueline Andriakos through a series of moves that improve posture and reduce muscle and joint discomfort.

The gentle 18-minute workout teaches you how to mobilize your muscles in different ways using props like squishy balls and foam rollers. The best part? Each of the exercises is simple enough to do anywhere, and can target almost body part (fingers and toes included!).

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For example, Hitzmann demonstrates how to glide your foot along the ground with a squishy ball underneath it to stretch the connective tissue. Other exercises in the clip include a foam roller-assisted stretch that lengthens the ribs to relieve tension in the upper back and neck, as well as a series of movements that use a squishy ball to help relax overworked hands and massage tight forearms.

Later in the workout, you’ll learn how to use a resistance band to work your shoulder muscles, and also get your blood flowing and your heart rate up stat. Ready to strengthen, lengthen, and stretch? Follow along, and get started down the road to recovery.