Obesity and Mobility: How to Keep Light on Your Feet
Health ConditionsObesity

How to Protect Your Mobility When You Have Obesity

How to Protect Your Mobility When You Have Obesity
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Updated on March 23, 2026
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Stiff muscles and achy joints can be more common when you have obesity. Excess weight puts additional stress on your body, especially on your hips and knees, which can lead to a vicious cycle: You move less due to the pain, and you experience increased pain because you’re moving less.

Thankfully, a number of lifestyle changes and specific exercises can help make movement more comfortable, protect your independence, and keep you feeling lighter on your feet. No matter your weight, “we have a lot of control over our mobility and strength,” says Lisa Folden, DPT, owner of Healthy Phit Physical Therapy and Wellness Consultants in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here, experts share some strategies that can help you own your range of motion and get to feeling your best.

Prioritize Flexibility and Balance

Exercises that improve your flexibility and balance are a great place to start when it comes to preserving or improving your range of motion. “Underlying muscle stiffness and pain are often due to muscles that have spasmed or tightened to protect a joint area,” says Dr. Folden. “If you start with full-body stretching, everything is going to get easier.”

Research shows that regular stretching and balance exercises can help improve mobility, enhance postural stability, and reduce pain in as little as four weeks.

 And it doesn’t require a major time investment. “[You] can take five minutes to stretch all of your major muscle groups,” says Folden, who encourages short, daily stretching sessions.
Aim to stretch all your major muscle groups daily, including your neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs, and ankles.

 Folden recommends choosing movements that stretch multiple areas at once:
  • Child’s pose
  • Runner’s lunge
  • Seated forward fold
  • Supine twist

Try to hold each stretch for 30 seconds, repeating them once or twice for maximum benefit, recommends Shannon Leggett, owner of Shannon Leggett Physical Therapy in New York City.

If a stretch feels uncomfortable, modifications can make the movement more accessible. For instance, Folden likes to spread her knees widely for Child’s pose to make room for her belly, and she recommends trying supine twists and runner’s lunges in bed if the floor isn’t working for you. A physical therapist can also help you find variations of stretches that work best for your body.

Build Your Muscles

Strengthening exercises go hand in hand with stretching to help you move with greater ease. “Reduced mobility in the joints can be because the muscles themselves are weak,” says Leggett. Plus, feeling yourself getting stronger can be a great motivator to keep moving.

One study found that older women who lifted heavy weights twice a week for 12 weeks not only improved their physical functioning and general health but felt more energetic and upbeat, too.

 Strength training can also give your posture a tune-up, which can help reduce neck, back, and shoulder stiffness.

If the idea of resistance training seems intimidating, “start small, go slow, and be consistent,” says Leggett.

Body-weight exercises like squats, wall push-ups, lunges, and planks can be a great place to begin. For those with knee or joint pain, modified movements such as chair squats, resistance band exercises, or water-based resistance training may be more comfortable starting points. Try to complete 8 to 12 reps of your chosen strength exercises twice a week.

As you get stronger, you can find ways to make the movements more challenging, such as by adding weights. A physical therapist or a size-inclusive personal trainer can also help guide you in the right direction and make sure you’re using proper form to reduce your risk of injury.

Try Low-Impact Cardio for Joint Health

Aerobic exercise doesn’t just work your heart. It also helps stave off age-related bone and muscle loss, which is essential for preserving your mobility. Better yet, low-impact aerobic activities deliver these benefits without stressing your joints, which can cause or worsen pain.

The American Heart Association recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio a week. You can tick that box by taking a 30-minute walk most days of the week or taking multiple shorter walks each day.

 “Or it can be small distances several times a day,” says Leggett.

If walking is uncomfortable for your hips, knees, or ankles, try water aerobics or swimming.

“Water takes the weight off joints, and it’s a great place to be able to move with more ease,” says Leggett. Other low-impact options include cycling (either outside or on a stationary bike), rowing, or using an elliptical machine.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

Slouching can tax the muscles and joints around your neck, shoulders, and back, leading to pain and stiffness.

 These effects are especially common among people who are hunched over a desk for much of the day, says Folden. “A lot of the conditions I treat are related to poor posture. It’s actually a lot of work on your body,” she says.
When you’re sitting at a desk, keep your shoulders relaxed instead of rounded and your feet flat on the floor. Your thighs and hips should be parallel to the floor (don’t cross your legs), and your elbows and knees should be bent at 90-degree angles.

It can also help to stretch your back and shoulders periodically throughout the day, says Folden. When you’re seated, try arching your back while supporting the back of your head with your hands. Or walk over to a doorway for a quick chest stretch: Place your forearm on the door frame at a 90-degree angle and step forward until you feel a light stretch, then switch sides.

Get Up and Out of Your Seat

Speaking of sitting for hours at a time, just making an effort to get up more often, move your body, and change positions throughout the day can help keep stiffness at bay.

A short break every hour should do the trick (and setting a timer can help you remember). Take a quick stroll around the block, do 10 squats or lunges, or walk over to a colleague’s desk for a quick chat. You can work more movement into your everyday activities, too, like pacing while you’re on the phone, standing while you fold laundry, or marching in place while you brush your teeth. It all adds up.

Lose Weight

You can take steps to improve your mobility at any size. But working toward losing a healthy amount of weight may make the biggest difference. Overweight adults who lose just 5 percent of their total body weight — 10 pounds for a 200-pound person, for example — see a reduction in musculoskeletal pain and inflammation, and they improve their mobility.

Your healthcare provider can help if you’re having trouble reaching your weight loss goals on your own. Together, you can talk about supportive options like GLP-1 medications, weight loss surgery, or intensive lifestyle intervention programs.

The Takeaway

  • Preserving your mobility when you have obesity could involve a combination of daily full-body stretching to reduce muscle stiffness and strength training to support joint health and improve posture.
  • Engaging in 150 minutes of weekly low-impact aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling, or walking helps prevent bone and muscle loss without placing excessive stress on the hips and knees.
  • Maintaining proper seated posture and taking frequent breaks to stand and move throughout the day can significantly decrease the aches and inflammation caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
  • While lifestyle adjustments can help improve range of motion at any size, losing as little as 5 percent of your total body weight can further reduce your musculoskeletal pain and enhance overall physical function.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. The Impact of Obesity on Bone and Joint Health. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. March 2015.
  2. Lee H et al. Exercise Guidelines for Enhancing Mobility and Stability in Individuals With Severe Obesity. Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. January 30, 2026.
  3. The Ideal Stretching Routine. Harvard Health Publishing. March 16, 2026.
  4. Borges-Silva F et al. Does Heavy-Resistance Training Improve Mobility and Perception of Quality of Life in Older Women? Biology. April 20, 2022.
  5. Warneke K et al. Effects of Stretching or Strengthening Exercise on Spinal and Lumbopelvic Posture: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine-Open. June 5, 2024.
  6. Strength and Resistance Training Exercise. American Heart Association. January 19, 2024.
  7. 7 Types of Low-Impact Cardio Workouts. Cleveland Clinic. July 17, 2025.
  8. American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. American Heart Association. January 19, 2024.
  9. Guide to Good Posture. MedlinePlus. September 8, 2025.
  10. Why You Should Move — Even Just A Little — Throughout the Day. Harvard Health Publishing. July 14, 2023.
  11. Ward SJ et al. Effects of Weight Loss Through Dietary Intervention on Pain Characteristics, Functional Mobility, and Inflammation in Adults With Elevated Adiposity. Frontiers in Nutrition. May 22, 2024.
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Diala Alatassi, MD, FACP

Medical Reviewer

Diala Alatassi, MD, is a board-certified obesity medicine specialist who is committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and personalized care. By integrating medical expertise with a supportive and motivational approach, Dr. Alatassi fosters a partnership with each patient, guiding them with empathy and respect, to ensure they feel confident and capable of making lasting changes for their overall well-being.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends and traveling.

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Marygrace Taylor

Marygrace Taylor

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Marygrace Taylor is an award-winning freelance health and wellness writer with more than 15 years of experience covering topics including women’s health, nutrition, chronic conditions, and preventive medicine. Her work has appeared in top national outlets like Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, and O, The Oprah Magazine.

She's also the coauthor of three books: Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet, Prevention Mediterranean Table, and Allergy-Friendly Food for Families. She lives in Philadelphia.

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