For decades, people have avoided the weight room because they feared it would “wreck their knees” or “wear out their shoulders.” People often get this idea from stories of athletes who lifted heavily and later developed arthritis, or from the common aches and pains that people mistakenly attribute to lifting itself. But when we look at the science, the story flips: resistance training, when done correctly, doesn’t destroy joints rather it preserves them.
Why People Believe the Myth
It’s easy to see where the misconception started:
- Athletes sometimes experience joint injuries, but these usually result from overuse, extreme volume, or contact injuries and not from the simple act of lifting weights.
- Occasional discomfort from poor technique, bad programming, or rapid progression is often blamed on the act of lifting itself, rather than the way it’s performed.
- Many people assume that “wear and tear” is inevitable with load, when in reality, the human body adapts positively to stress when applied progressively.
The Science of How Lifting Affects Joints
1. Muscles and Connective Tissue Adapt
Stronger muscles act like shock absorbers for joints, while tendons and ligaments adapt by becoming stiffer and more resilient. This reduces the strain on cartilage and stabilizes joint movement. Messier et al. (2002) found that targeted strength training significantly reduced pain and improved function in older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
2. Cartilage Thrives on Load
Cartilage isn’t nourished by blood flow the way muscles are. Instead, it gets nutrients from synovial fluid and movement under load helps to pump that fluid in and out, keeping cartilage healthy. Avoiding load may actually starve cartilage of the nutrition it needs.
3. Bone Density Improves
Lifting weights stimulates osteoblast activity, leading to denser bones (Layne & Nelson, 1999). Denser bones give joints a stronger foundation and reduce fracture risk, especially important as we age.
4. Range of Motion Doesn’t Shrink — It Expands
A systematic review showed resistance training is as effective as stretching for improving flexibility (Afonso et al., 2021). Full range strength training teaches joints to move through their natural arcs while under control, making them more mobile, not less.
5. Pain and Arthritis Outcomes Improve with Lifting
Far from being a risk factor, lifting is now recommended as part of the standard treatment for osteoarthritis. Vincent & Vincent (2012) highlighted that progressive resistance training reduces knee pain and disability in arthritic populations, often more effectively than medication alone.
6. Inactivity is the Bigger Threat
While it’s a common worry that lifting weights or loading joints will cause damage, many studies suggest that avoiding load and movement can be even more dangerous for joint health. That is, sedentary behavior and inactivity seem to pose a higher risk for joint degeneration over time than properly dosed resistance training. Here’s what the research shows:
- Individuals who have both low physical activity and high sedentary time are at significantly greater risk of developing osteoarthritis compared to people who are more active. For example, a study of over 1,000 people found that “inactive-high sedentary” individuals had ~52% higher OA risk compared to “active-low sedentary” ones (Frontiers in Public Health, 2024).
- Resistance training (strengthening muscles around joints) is strongly associated with reductions in both incidence of and symptom severity for knee and hip osteoarthritis (Vincent & Vincent, 2012; Messier et al., 2000).
- Even among weight-bearing exercise, those with low muscle mass are more vulnerable to injury or osteoarthritis risk. Strength and muscle mass help buffer joints from load-related damage (JAMA Network Open, 2024; Harvard Health Publishing, 2023).
Being inactive isn’t just a lost opportunity for strength but it raises the odds of joint pain, instability, degeneration. Loading with strength training, movement, and maintaining muscle mass are protective.
How to Lift for Joint Longevity
It’s not just about if you lift, but how:
- Prioritize Technique: Controlled movement patterns matter more than the weight on the bar.
- Progress Gradually: The body adapts best when stress is applied progressively. Avoid sudden jumps in load.
- Train the Full Range: Move joints through their natural arcs to maintain mobility.
- Balance the Body: Incorporate both pushing and pulling, hip- and knee-dominant exercises to prevent imbalances that strain joints.
- Recover Smart: Sleep, nutrition, and mobility work help connective tissue adapt just as much as muscles.
Bottom Line
Weight training is joint medicine, not joint destruction. Done with proper form and progressive overload, lifting strengthens muscles, bones, cartilage, and connective tissue while reducing pain and risk of degeneration. The real danger isn’t in loading the body — it’s in avoiding load altogether.
If your goal is to stay active, mobile, and pain-free well into the future, lifting weights is one of the smartest investments you can make for your joint health.
References
Afonso, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moscão, J., Rocha, T., Zacca, R., Martins, A., Milheiro, J., Carneiro, A., Silva, R., Clemente, F. M., & Loturco, I. (2021). Strength training vs. stretching for improving range of motion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31(5), 889–900. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13930
Andriacchi, T. P., & Mundermann, A. (2006). The role of ambulatory mechanics in the initiation and progression of knee osteoarthritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 18(5), 514–518. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.bor.0000240365.16842.4e
Layne, J. E., & Nelson, M. E. (1999). The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: A review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 31(1), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199901000-00006
Messier, S. P., Loeser, R. F., Mitchell, M. N., Valle, G., Morgan, T. P., Rejeski, W. J., & Ettinger, W. H. (2000). Exercise and weight loss in obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis: A preliminary study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48(9), 1062–1072. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb04790.x
Vincent, K. R., & Vincent, H. K. (2012). Resistance exercise for knee osteoarthritis. PM&R, 4(5 Suppl), S45–S52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2012.01.019
Wang, Y., Simpson, J. A., Wluka, A. E., Teichtahl, A. J., English, D. R., Giles, G. G., Graves, S., & Cicuttini, F. M. (2011). Is physical activity a risk factor for primary knee or hip osteoarthritis? A systematic review. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 70(7), 1261–1268. https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.2010.054467
Zhang, Y., & Jordan, J. M. (2010). Epidemiology of osteoarthritis. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 26(3), 355–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2010.03.001
Frontiers in Public Health. (2024). Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and osteoarthritis risk: Evidence from a large cohort study. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1389694. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389694
JAMA Network Open. (2024). Association of low muscle mass with osteoarthritis incidence and progression: A population-based study. JAMA Network Open, 7(2), e2356789. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.56789
Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Muscle mass is key to protecting joints and preventing arthritis. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/muscle-mass-is-key-to-protecting-joints