Health Awareness
Philip Lindsell
Managing Director, Flarin Holdings
To keep people active, we need to normalise the conversation around joint pain so that those who have it see it as something to be managed rather than quietly endured.
Joint pain is one of the most common reasons why the over-50s scale back their physical activity. It’s an unwelcome fact that as we age, our muscle mass and joint mobility decline, which can lead to pain most commonly in our lower back, but also in our knees, wrists, fingers, hips, feet and ankles.
This is a vicious circle because if something hurts, our natural response is to move less. Yet, reduced movement only increases stiffness and loss of function — which leads to more pain and less movement.
Staying active for your joints
There is an answer, however — although it sounds counter-intuitive. Actually, the key to pain management is staying active. “This isn’t just about comfort,” says Philip Lindsell, Managing Director at Flarin Holdings. “Keeping active is one of the few levers people have to protect their mobility and independence in later life.”
Pain that has an impact on individuals and society
Pain that prevents activity shouldn’t be underplayed. In its Pain Survey 2026, Flarin* (the joint and muscular pain relief brand) asked people which areas of life their pain affects most. The results confirmed that physical activity is where it really bites: it was ranked first, ahead of sleep quality, social relationships and mental wellbeing.
The survey also showed the emotional stakes of joint pain: 51% are determined to stay as active as possible despite their pain, yet 44% have had to adjust their expectations of what they can do. Meanwhile, 31% are worried about losing their independence.
self-care and staying active are directly linked
Joint pain also has a substantial knock-on impact on the NHS and society, driving sickness absence, early retirement and loss of independence, all of which have adverse effects on families and social care.
Giving people clear, evidence-based information
There’s a tendency for those who have joint pain to suffer in silence. In fact, 49.6% of respondents claimed they only take pain relief when pain is severe. It’s important that everyone is more vocal about it, says Lindsell. We need to normalise the conversation around joint pain and encourage people to see it as something to be actively managed rather than quietly endured.
“GPs and pharmacists have a role in prompting that conversation,” he notes. “Yet, so do brands like ours: giving people clear, evidence-based information so they feel able to ask questions and make informed choices about how they manage their pain.”
Reframing your approach to pain management
To that end, the company has developed Flarin, a lipid-formulated medication, which is focused on joint and muscular pain relief. It also promotes an Active Living approach, which is about gardening, walking the dog, playing with grandchildren and protecting the everyday movement that keeps people independent — not chasing a fitness ideal.
“It reflects our view that self-care and staying active are directly linked, and that over-the-counter brands have a genuine role to play in the wider self-care agenda, not just as product suppliers but as educators,” says Lindsell. “We provide content on our website to help people understand joint pain, know when self-care is appropriate, and manage it in a way that keeps them active and independent.”
*Flarin Pain Survey, 1114 respondents, June 2026
