Scroll through Instagram or YouTube for five minutes and you’ll find thousands of workouts promising to fix your pain, build muscle fast, or correct your posture in 7 days. As a physiotherapist, I get asked about these videos almost daily:
“Is this exercise good for my shoulder?”
“I saw this reel that says squats are bad for your knees.”
“This YouTuber fixed their back pain—should I do the same routine?”
Social media fitness content isn’t all bad—but it is incomplete, and sometimes misleading. Let’s break down where online exercise advice can help, where it falls short, and how to use it safely from a physiotherapy lens.
The Good: Why Online Exercise Content Is So Popular
There’s a reason fitness content has exploded online:
● Accessibility – It’s free, quick, and available anytime.
● Motivation – Seeing someone move confidently can inspire action.
● Education – Many creators explain basic movement patterns well.
● Consistency – Following a routine can help people stay active.
From a physio standpoint, movement is usually better than no movement. If social media gets
someone off the couch, that’s a win.
The Problem: Exercises Without Context
The biggest issue isn’t what exercises are shown—it’s who they’re shown to. Most YouTube and Instagram workouts assume:
● You have normal joint mobility
● You have no prior injuries
● You recover normally from load
● You tolerate volume and intensity well
In the clinic, I see the opposite every day. Bodies Are Not Generic
Two people can do the same exercise and have very different outcomes. One feels stronger. The other develops pain. Why?
● Previous injuries
● Work demands
● Training history
● Anatomy and joint structure
● Stress, sleep, and recovery
An exercise that’s good in theory may be wrong for you right now.
“This Exercise Is Bad” — A Red Flag Phrase
Social media loves extremes:
● “Deadlifts will ruin your back”
● “Squats destroy your knees”
● “Never do this stretch”
From a physiotherapy perspective, no exercise is inherently bad. What matters is:
● Load
● Volume
● Technique
● Timing
● Individual capacity
Blaming an exercise instead of poor progression or poor tolerance oversimplifies human
movement.
Pain-Free on Camera ≠ Pain-Free in Real Life
Another limitation of online fitness advice: you only see a highlight reel.
You don’t see:
● The injuries behind the scenes
● The regressions skipped in editing
● The years of training that built tolerance
Just because someone performs an exercise pain-free on camera doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for someone with shoulder pain, disc-related back pain, or post-surgical recovery.
The Algorithm vs. Clinical Reasoning
Social media rewards:
● Simplicity
● Certainty
● Shock value
Healthcare relies on:
● Nuance
● Probabilities
● Individual assessment
A 30-second reel cannot replace a proper movement assessment, strength testing, or a conversation about symptoms.
That’s not a criticism—it’s just reality.
How to Use Online Fitness Content Safely
If you enjoy YouTube workouts or Instagram fitness tips, here’s how to use them more intelligently:
- Treat Them as Ideas, Not Prescriptions
Use videos for inspiration—not diagnosis or rehab. - Respect Symptoms
Pain during or after exercise is information, not something to push through blindly. - Scale the Intensity
Reduce range, load, or reps—especially if you’re returning from injury. - Avoid One-Size-Fits-All Claims
Be cautious of content promising universal fixes.
- Combine With Professional Guidance
A physiotherapist can help you:
● Modify exercises you see online
● Identify why something hurts
● Progress safely instead of randomly
When to Be Especially Careful
Online exercise advice is not appropriate as-is if you:
● Have ongoing joint pain
● Are recovering from surgery
● Have neurological symptoms (numbness, tingling, weakness)
● Experience pain that worsens with exercise
In these cases, individualized assessment matters.
The Bottom Line
YouTube and Instagram fitness content isn’t the enemy—but it’s not healthcare. As a physiotherapist, my role isn’t to tell people to stop exercising or avoid social media. It’s to help them:
● Understand their body
● Choose the right exercise at the right time
● Build resilience instead of chasing quick fixes
If an exercise helps you move confidently and pain-free—great. If it doesn’t, that doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you need a different approach.
Movement is medicine—but dosage, timing, and individual response still matter.