Winter sports and recovery: what your joints and back need after exertion

In winter, the body often slows down faster than the mind. In the morning, you feel “rusty,” and during the day, your neck and back ache from working at the computer—and after exercising, the tension lasts longer than usual. The good news is that you don't usually need to make radical changes to feel better physically. Often, small steps that are easy to repeat are enough—without any pressure to perform.

In this article, you will find three topics that concern many people in winter: joints, back/neck, and recovery after exercise. There is also a short 7-day checklist – so you have everything clearly laid out. 

1) Winter mornings and stiff joints: gently get your body moving

During the cold season, it is quite normal for the body to take longer to get going in the morning. During the day, we often move less “incidentally,” sit more—and in the cold, muscles and tissue around the joints contract more easily. This does not mean that you are “out of shape.” It usually just means that your body needs a gentle, flowing start.

Gentle mobilization after waking up (1–2 minutes)

This is not about training, but about getting your circulation going and loosening up tense muscles and joints.

• Walk around your apartment or hallway a little – completely relaxed.
• Shift your weight from right to left a few times (gently, without rocking into pain).
• Take 10–20 slow steps from heel to toe to mobilize your ankles.
• To finish: take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale slowly (this often helps to lower your shoulders).

Tip: If you're in a hurry in the morning, choose just one thing: start two minutes earlier and consciously walk more slowly for the first few meters. When it comes to joints, consistency often wins.

2) Back and neck: the winter classic after working at the computer

Back problems in winter are often caused not only by “strain,” but also by a combination of cold weather and sitting for long periods of time. Your shoulders hunch up, your breathing becomes shallower, and tension builds up without you even noticing. And in the evening, it becomes apparent: your neck feels stiff, there is tension between your shoulder blades, and your mind continues to race even though your body wants to switch off.

Warming ritual for back & neck (5–7 minutes)

No complicated method—more like a short evening signal: you no longer have to hold on to the tension.

• Take a warm shower – or at least warm up properly for a short time (e.g., with a warm layer of clothing).
• Wrap yourself in a blanket or something warm and consciously slow down.
• Give your neck and shoulders a short self-massage: slowly, loosening/stroking rather than pressing firmly.

f you want to make this evening moment even more pleasant, Warming Horse Balm Gel Forte can be a good addition – suitable for a gentle massage of the neck and shoulders. Not as a “performance,” but as a small ritual component.

3) Recovery after exercise: what really makes the difference

After exercising, it's easy to skip the transition from ‘exertion’ to ‘winding down’: quickly get changed, get in the car, and go straight back to everyday life. But it's often the minutes after exercise that determine how you feel the next day. Recovery doesn't have to be long – above all, it should be simple and repeatable.

Regeneration in 3 steps (5 minutes in total)

• 2 minutes to slow down: walk slowly, breathe calmly, don't let your body go straight from exercise into sitting mode.
• 30 seconds of light stretching where you worked the hardest (calves, thighs, back).
• 3 minutes of care for stressed areas: a short massage, gentle and unhurried.

If cooling care is more beneficial for you after exercise, Horse balm Sport cooling is perfect for this moment – ideal for a short massage after exercise when you want to quickly switch to a calmer mode.

Tip – for sport and everyday life: exertion is not just training. Sometimes it's standing for long periods, walking a longer route, climbing stairs – or simply a day when too much happened at once. It is precisely then that you often feel the benefits of a short recovery most clearly.

7-day check (save or write down)

• 1–2 minutes of gentle mobilisation after waking up
• 5–7 minutes of warming ritual for neck and shoulders in the evening
• Always allow at least 5 minutes for regeneration after exercise (wind down + stretch + care)
• Less pressure, more regularity

You don't have to do everything at once. One point is enough to start with – add the next one after a few days.

Conclusion: In winter, rhythm wins – not extremes

Exercise in winter doesn't have to be ‘overdoing it’. Often, a good rhythm is enough: allow your body a smooth start in the morning, don't forget your back and neck during the day, and plan at least a few minutes of regeneration after exercise. When a routine is simple, it's easier to stick to it – and that's usually the difference you really feel.

If you want an uncomplicated care product to hand, take a look at the different varieties of horse balm – depending on whether you prefer a warming or cooling sensation or are looking for a special composition.