Many people are putting their joint health at risk by failing to do exercise regularly and safely, a survey has found.
A poll of 2,583 adults, conducted by Arthritis Research UK and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), revealed that just five per cent do the recommended amount of exercise each week.
And children are not much better, with a similar survey of 1,022 youngsters showing that only eight per cent meet the guidelines for physical activity.
Researchers also discovered that just a fifth of active people always warm up and cool down when exercising, with three-quarters of those who do not warm up admitting they have no idea how to.
Professor Alan Silman, medical director at Arthritis Research UK, warned that people could harm their joints by failing to exercise properly.
'Cartilage and bones in your joints need the stimulus of regular exercise and there are simple ways to avoid injury and exercise safely,' he explained.
CSP chair Dr Helena Johnson agreed that the findings were concerning.
'Failing to warm up first and cool down afterwards may increase the chances of suffering an injury, which could potentially lead to problems like osteoarthritis in later life,' she said.