If you’ve recently started participating in more physical activities, you may have noticed that your body is sore by the end of the week. When experiencing muscle aches and joint pain, this doesn’t mean you need to give up on some of your favorite activities because being active is beneficial in many ways. However, it does mean you should take the extra time to nurture your aching body to get relief and increase your comfort. Check out the following four ways to manage joint pain at home while getting the relief you need from discomfort like painful knees and aching shoulders.

#1. Soak in a Hot Tub or Your Bathtub

Soaking the body in hot water is an excellent way to ease discomfort and relax. If you have a hot tub, take advantage of these soaks as often as possible, especially after participating in vigorous activities. But even if you don’t have a hot tub, you can still benefit from warm soaks. Simply use your bathtub, filling it up with hot water and a few essential oils for therapeutic purposes. Soak in the water for a minimum of 20 minutes to ease the discomfort of painful knees and other types of joint pain.

#2. Consider Massage Therapy

The pressure from a good massage can help naturally ease your joint pain. While you can visit a massage therapist, you can also use a handheld massage tool at home, paying particular attention to areas of the body that need the most relief, such as your knees and back. Some handheld massagers feature multiple settings, including a heat option that will make the massage even more powerful.

#3. Use a Combination of Cold and Hot Techniques

People have used hot and cold therapy for centuries to ease their pain. For example, when you get in from participating in one of your physical activities, you can place an ice pack on the areas that hurt the most, leaving it on for about 15 minutes before switching it out with a heating pad. If you’re using both cold and hot techniques each day, you can manage joint pain at home more effectively and keep your body feeling its best.

#4. Add Stretches to Your Daily Routine

Be sure to start adding stretches to your daily routine. If you’re participating in physical activities, it helps to warm up the joints and muscles beforehand by stretching for a minimum of 10 minutes. Some of the best stretches to do daily include leg extensions, quad stretches, and leg swings. Of course, you can add other stretches to your list of things to do before exercising or participating in sports. By preparing the body for what is next to come, you can reduce your risk of straining the joints and muscles and dealing with pain.

With these four simple techniques that you can do at home, you should have no problem managing muscle and joint pain caused by your physical activities, such as jogging or sports. Manage joint pain more efficiently in the comfort of your home with simple techniques, such as warm soaks, massages, hot and cold therapy, and stretches.