Arnold Schwarzenegger Talks Joint, Mobility Health: ‘if You Rest, You Rust’

Arnold Schwarzenegger wants those with joint pain and mobility issues to know they are not alone. Klaus Pressberger/SEPA.Media /Getty Images

• Revered actor and former politician Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his passion for physical activity.
• Schwarzenegger is spreading awareness about how regular movement can help with mobility issues.
• The “Terminator” legend recently launched the You’ll Be Back initiative, which allows fans to meet him.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his successful bodybuilding career, his service as Governor of California, and his starring roles in action-packed films like “The Terminator” franchise, “Predator,” and “Total Recall.”

His next move? Earlier this year, Schwarzenegger and the medical technology company Zimmer Biomet announced the launch of “You’ll Be Back.”

The campaign invites people living with limited mobility due to hip, knee, shoulder, or other joint pain to share their stories for an opportunity to meet the illustrious actor and be featured in a motivational docuseries, which will launch later this year.

Members of the You’ll Be Back online community will have access to resources and a “Find a Doctor” tool to connect with local physicians and explore whether joint replacement is right for them.

“It’s important to take joint pain — either hip, knee, or shoulder — seriously because it decreases the quality of life of millions of people,” Schwarzenegger, who joined Zimmer Biomet in 2024 as its Chief Movement Officer, told Healthline.

In the United States, about 53 million adults live with arthritis. Additionally, approximately 1.71 billion people across the world live with musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• low back pain
• neck pain
• fractures and other injuries
• osteoarthritis
• amputation
• rheumatoid arthritis

When people are in pain, they tend to move less, said Leslie Bottrell, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. When a known injury causes pain, taking caution with movement is important until a doctor can determine what is causing the pain.

However, pain doesn’t always mean there is a physical injury, she told Healthline.

“Pain is managed by memory and emotions, and oftentimes, stopping completely and not moving can have a detrimental effect and lead to weakening of the muscles and stiffness, which leads to more pain and limited movement and the inability to keep moving,” Bottrell said.

Movement is medicine, Bottrell noted, and helps the body in the following ways:

• Moving promotes synovial fluid, which is the lubricating fluid found in the joints. Synovial fluid provides the joints cushion and eases movement between bones. 
• Moving helps strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons around the joint, which result in less strain on the joint.
• Movement signals the body to send blood to the active area, which helps reduce inflammation.
• Moving triggers endorphins, which are natural pain relievers.

“Also, as we get older, we worry about breaking bones, but if you’re muscles are engaged and you’re strong, you are less likely to fall compared to if you are weak and atrophied,” said Bottrell.

Schwarzenegger relates to this sentiment. He is determined to motivate people to move safely despite fears and past injuries.

“I get it. It is scary. I’ve had my own health issues — shoulder surgery, hip replacement, and all of my heart surgeries for my congenital valve issue, and I think it’s very important that I’m open about it, because I see how it inspires people to act, and not just give in to their pain,” he said.

Schwarzenegger believes life is too short to let pain, fear, or uncertainty hold people back from feeling better. “I believe in the phrase, ‘If you rest, you rust,’” he said.

Healthline got more insight from the legendary actor and former bodybuilder to learn more about his dedication to joint pain and mobility awareness.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

How do you care for your joints?

Schwarzenegger: I have had to deal with joint pain throughout my life. Whether I’m riding my bike, working out at Gold’s Gym, or skiing every winter, I’m a very active person.

My joints have taken a beating from all the heavy lifting and stunts through the years. I’ve had my fair share of injuries, but being active is important to me, and I wouldn’t change what I’ve done.

I knew when it was time to seek help, and I did.

How do you approach movement?

Schwarzenegger: I have dedicated my life to fitness, so I know the power of movement. My priorities have changed, but my need to never stop moving hasn’t.

Even when I was competing in Mr. Universe, I was taking ballet lessons to perfect the way I moved my body. Now I’m focused on skiing every year with my family, playing with my grandchildren and my animals on the weekends or riding my bike and lifting, but I’ve never wanted to stop moving.

As I’ve gotten older, I have thanked myself for all the work I did in my body in the past because I see how other people who are 78 are moving, and I can tell that the foundation I built has protected me. But I have to keep pushing myself and moving every year so I don’t rust.

I never want to get to a point where I can’t do the things that bring me happiness.

You have to fuel your body so it moves properly — and if there’s something wrong, make an appointment with your doctor. Only you know when changes are happening. Don’t put off these important conversations because you’re afraid.   

Why should you keep moving every day?

Schwarzenegger: I talk about this in my Pump Club newsletter and my podcast all the time. Movement is medicine.

When you stop moving, you put yourself at risk for a lot of health conditions, including osteoarthritis. But inactivity is also a symptom of osteoarthritis because joint pain and stiffness discourage movement. That means many people with osteoarthritis are already inactive, and their pain keeps them inactive. It’s a vicious cycle.

Listen, I’m not a doctor and can’t give medical advice. What I do know is that you have to be honest with yourself about how pain is affecting your life and the lives of those around you. And sometimes, that means putting pride or fear aside and talking with your doctor. 

I also know that some mornings, I feel pain and stiffness in my body and all my brain wants me to do is lie in bed —but I get up and do my daily routine of a bike ride and a workout, and 99% of the time, I feel the stiffness melt away. Movement does make us better.

How do you fit movement into your daily life?

Schwarzenegger: I’m always moving, moving, moving! I ride my bike, and I train at the gym for 45 minutes every day when I’m at home in Los Angeles.

Consistency is important. You have to have a routine.

On top of my lifting and biking, I ski every winter for as many days as I can. I have been intense about getting my steps in every single day since we shared studies about the power of movement in Arnold’s Pump Club. I realized that even with a bike ride and a workout, inactivity the rest of the day can set you back.

Have you adjusted your workouts as you’ve aged?

Schwarzenegger: My situation is unique because I have replaced heart valves, and after my first heart surgery, the doctor told me to stop the heavy weights to protect those new valves.

That wasn’t an excuse to stop, though. I used lighter weights, with more reps and less rest between sets. I’m not setting any records anymore, but I can still wear out people half my age with my training and leave ‘schvitzy’ and huffing and puffing.

What motivates you to keep moving?

Schwarzenegger: Vision is important to me and has been since the beginning of my fitness journey 50 years ago.

If I don’t have a vision — a purpose — then I will fail. I think about the person I want to be and why I want to be that person. If I simply say, “I want to be healthy,” that’s not enough.

I have to know why I’m doing it and what I want to accomplish. I have to see it. That’s the key to having anything stick long term, even through challenges. Being active is part of who I am now because I take this approach. And I always feel better after moving. I’ve had my own setbacks, but I see them as opportunities. 

I won’t lie. There are some mornings where I feel off; I want to just stay in bed. But I get on my bike and ride to the gym. And almost every time, by the time I’m riding back from the gym, the world starts to turn to color. I don’t know if it is from the movement or the sense of accomplishment when I didn’t want to do it and did it anyway, but there is something magic about that.

Most people want to be healthy. They want to move, but there are so many obstacles that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why having a vision is so important — it helps you take the next step.

If your obstacle is pain, I challenge you to envision your life without it. What would you be able to do? How would it affect your work, your hobbies — your life? Use that vision to overcome fear and uncertainty about talking to a doctor. Don’t wait, act! That’s my message. 

I want anyone with pain in their joints to know they are not alone and get the information they need to fuel their comebacks.

It’s also important for me to be useful and use my platform to encourage people to take ownership of their health and to never stop moving.

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. I want to create a community with the You’ll Be Back platform so people don’t feel alone.

Is self-care an important part of a fitness routine?

Schwarzenegger: Fitness is self-care. If you aren’t training your body, you aren’t taking care of it. Don’t ever convince yourself otherwise.

Takeaway

Arnold Schwarzenegger is raising awareness about prioritizing joint health and mobility.

The famed actor and experts agree that regular movement and physical activity help you stay healthy and prevent frailty.

Regular exercise can also help reduce the risk of various chronic health conditions.