TL;DR most important advice: please please please be careful how much NSAID anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen & naproxen) you use, I gave myself bleeding stomach ulcers from NSAID overuse at 23 trying to manage my joint pain. Find alternatives like heat/ice/over the counter tens unit to help you manage pain alongside NSAIDs, and you'll be less likely to overuse. Overdosing acetaminophen is genuinely deadly (liver toxicity). I'm not a medical professional so I cannot give dosing instructions, but be aware of these issues because they are serious.
I have had arthritis and joint pain since 13 because I have some kind of connective tissue defect/hypermobility. My ankles pronate really badly, which gave me chronic knee, hip, and back pain.
You can probably find a YouTube video showing what pronation looks like, to see if it applies to you. You can also go to a bougie running store and see if they have someone who can analyze your gait for issues without making you buy anything, if getting an orthopedic Dr appointment isn't realistic.
I needed to get "motion control" sneakers (currently in Saucony Hurricane 24, I also like Brooks Addiction but they're lower support). I can't wear sandles, flats, or any kind of unsupportive footwear for prolonged periods. I never stand, walk, or run for extended periods barefoot- only in my motion control sneakers. Even inside my house, unfortunately.
My parents got me custom orthotics once, but they were EXTREMELY expensive and so bulky they only fit in sneakers anyway. I've found just getting good quality motion control sneakers is functionally good enough for me.
If you do any kind of sports, see if that's making it worse and whether you can make modifications. Staying active, unfortunately, is really important for joint health. Which sucks when your joints hurt.
I can't run on pavement, but can run on softer surfaces (cushioned tracks, sand, grass, treadmill etc). Certain types of repetitive motion are very painful, extremely dependent of the angle of my legs (can ride a recumbent bike but not a regular/upright bike, can use SOME specific elliptical machines, even some swimming strokes are bad for me).
I found some Instagram videos a while ago demonstrating "controlled articular rotation" which was just basically slowly and deliberately moving joints and spine through your full range of motion. I've found this to be helpful when I'm in too much pain to do anything else (or don't have time/motivation to do anything more), because it will keep you from getting really stiff.
If you have hypermobility, you need some combination of braces/muscle strength/careful conscious controlling of the way you move to avoid moving in ways that hurt your body. If you have something like rheumatoid arthritis, or another medical cause for joint pain, you'd need specific medical advice to deal with that obviously.
I'm now 36 and in a lot less pain than I used to be. Not zero pain, but manageable and not life-prohibiting. Getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, moving your body regularly in a way you somewhat enjoy (or at least can tolerate), and using braces/mobility aids/supportive footwear have genuinely been extremely helpful for me.
