Easy Exercises For Knee Arthritis
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How exercise helps knee arthritis
Arthritis affects millions of people around the world. Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis . Both types often lead to knee pain.
Exercising an arthritic knee may seem counterintuitive, but regular exercise can actually lessen and even relieve arthritis pain and other symptoms, such as stiffness and swelling.
There are several reasons to exercise with knee arthritis:
- Exercise maintains the joints full range of motion.
- Exercise strengthens the muscles that support the joint.
- Strong muscles help the joint absorb shock.
Exercise doesnt have to be hard to be beneficial. In fact, gentle, low-impact exercises are best for knee arthritis. They minimize stress on the joint as they increase its flexibility and strength. Learn more about osteoarthritis here.
How Do I Find The Right Amount Of Exercise
Exercises to strengthen muscles have to be challenging otherwise, theres no training effect. Feeling a little temporary pain is normal. But you shouldn’t feel intense pain. Signs that the training is too intensive include
- pain worse than a 5 on an individual scale from 0 to 10 ,
- pain that lasts for hours after the training, and
- swollen joints the next day.
If you have any of these signs, you should do fewer repetitions and sets of exercises or try easier exercises. If there are problems, ask a professional whether youre doing the exercises right or whether other exercises would be better.
Balance Exercises For Arthritis
Good balance is really important to prevent knee injuries, and is often reduced with arthritis. As a quick test to see whether you would benefit from balance exercises for arthritis, try standing on one leg with your eyes closed. If you cant do it for one minute, you would benefit from this exercise. This exercise for arthritis helps your body learn the subtle adjustments needed for good balance.
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Explore Supplements And Natural Remedies
Supplements for knee osteoarthritis may increase production of synovial fluid in the knee joint. This helps smooth out rough movement that could be causing knee pain. Talk to your doctor before adding these into your regimen.
Natural remedies for knee pain can also be remarkably effective. These include things like transdermal magnesium, acupuncture, and mindfulness meditation.
How To Help Your Knees
Bungo recommends a four-pronged strategy to promote good knee function and help reduce wear and tear on your knees:
- Choose low-impact aerobic exercises biking, cycling, elliptical training, swimming or walking instead of high-impact activities, such as jogging, running or singles tennis. If you are passionate about running for exercise, consider alternating between running and performing low-impact activities throughout the week.
- Do lower-body strengthening exercises on at least two nonconsecutive days of the week, targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteal muscles and calves. Avoid leg-extension exercises at the gym leg presses and seated hamstring curls are better options, Bungo advises.
- Perform flexibility activities daily. .
- Minimize high-risk activities, such as repetitive squatting, repetitive heavy lifting, or working for extended periods in a kneeling position .
Weve definitely seen lots of success stories and improvements in function. Folks are able to get back to tolerating a round of golf or being able to play tennis, he says. Building strength to create a more stable joint can reduce pain and improve function. Youre probably not going to see yourself get better if youre not doing stretching or strengthening or modification of your activities.
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Strengthening Your Thigh Muscles
- Sit on a chair or stool thats high enough for your knees to bend at a roughly 90-degree angle.
- Wear a light weight cuff on your calf .
- Slowly stretch out one leg and lift it up, hold for 5 seconds, and then slowly bend and lower it. Repeat 8 to 12 times and then do the same with the other leg.
- Rest for about one minute and then do 2 to 3 more sets.
In the beginning, this exercise can also be done without weights.
Strengthening your thigh muscles
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Benefits Of Knee Strengthening Exercises
The Arthritis Foundation state that exercise may be the most effective way to treat osteoarthritis without surgery, while the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons note that strong and flexible muscles can keep knees healthy and prevent injury.
Knee strengthening exercises do not affect the knee joint directly, but they strengthen the muscles surrounding it. Strong muscles in the legs can help provide support for the knees. This support may alleviate pressure and strain on these joints, which can relieve pain and help a person be more active.
The following exercises can help strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee. If a person experiences pain during these exercises, they should stop doing them and speak to a doctor. Anyone with severe knee pain should consult a doctor before trying to exercise.
It is best to warm up with light exercise before starting any knee strengthening exercises. Examples of gentle exercise include walking, cycling, and using an elliptical machine, all of which put minimal stress on the knees. This activity will help increase blood flow to the muscles and allow them to be more flexible.
Muscles involved: Quadriceps and abdominal muscles.
There Are Many Ways To Strengthen The Muscles Of Your Knees
So it comes down to your preferences, as research suggests:
Pilates, aerobic and strengthening exercise programmes performed for 8-12 weeks, 3-5 sessions per week each session lasting 1 h appear to be effective. Both aquatic and land-based programmes show comparable and positive effects. Raposo, 2021
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Exercise: Rx For Overcoming Osteoarthritis
Exercising may be the last thing you want to do when your joints are stiff and achy. But exercise is a crucial part of osteoarthritis treatment in order to ease pain and stay active.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic and progressive disease characterized by loss of the cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones where they meet at a joint. Without this protective coating, bone rubs against bone, causing irritation and inflammation. The result is pain and stiffness in the joint and often pain in the muscles and ligaments that surround it.
Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Nearly equal numbers of women and men have the condition, but women tend to develop symptoms after age 55, about 10 years later than men do. It most often affects the hips, knees, spine, and hands.
Because most people diagnosed with osteoarthritis are older about half of those over 65 have it to some degree it’s long been considered a normal part of aging that reflects a lifetime of wear and tear on cartilage. But experts now know that many factors besides age are involved. Osteoarthritis risk can be inherited. An injury or disease may also kick off the deterioration. The rate of progression depends on genetics, biomechanical forces, and biological and chemical processes, all of which vary from person to person.
Sitting Down And Standing Up
Why it works: This exercise can be done anywhere, where you have a bench or chair. This exercise is one I love because its something we do every day from sitting up from a work desk or even a couch, this exercise works a combination of muscle groups like your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes when youre sitting down, and even your core comes in to play to stabilize your body.
How to do it: Using a bench or chair, slowly come down to sitting position with your arms to your side and raising up as you sit for stability. Then, slowly stand up, squeezing your glutes when you reach the top. While coming down, its very important to focus on sitting downslowly because it allows you to focus more on the muscles being worked. You can also increase your risk of injury by speeding to the bottom of the movement. Modify the movement by finding a slightly higher bench or chair so that you don’t have to go down as low. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps of this exercise.
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Exercises To Relieve Pain & Stiffness
Are There Any Complications
Osteoarthritis can develop over just a year or two, but more often its a slow process over many years that only causes fairly small changes in just part of the knee.
But in some cases, the cartilage can become so thin that it no longer covers the ends of the bones. This causes them to rub against each other and eventually wear away.
The loss of cartilage, the wearing of the bones, and the bony spurs can change the shape of the joint. This forces the bones out of their normal positions, making your knee feel unstable and painful.
Some people with osteoarthritis find a lump appears at the back of their knee. This is called a Bakers cyst or popliteal cyst.
A Bakers cyst is fluid-filled swelling at the back of the knee that happens when part of the joint lining bulges through a small tear in the joint capsule. This can then cause joint fluid to be trapped in the bulge.
It can happen on its own, but is more likely in a knee thats already affected by arthritis. A Bakers cyst doesnt always cause pain, but sometimes they can burst so the fluid leaks down into your calf, causing sharp pain, swelling and redness in the calf.
Osteoarthritis in the knee might change the way you walk or carry your weight, and this could cause you to develop the condition in other joints, such as your hips.
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How Exercises Can Benefit Your Knee Joints
Leading health organizations, such as the Arthritis Foundation, have found that exercise is one of the most effective ways to treat osteoarthritis.
This can sometimes even eliminate the need for surgery on your joints. Keeping your muscles in good condition, strong and flexible, you can avoid injury altogether.
These knee strengthening exercises are not tailored to attend to the joint directly. They are used to strengthen the muscles that surround them to provide good support for your joints.
The support given by these surrounding muscles will help to withstand the everyday pressure and strain on your knees. It can help with pain and keep you active.
The strengthening exercises for knee below will help to strengthen the muscles that surround the joint. If you experience pain during these exercises then you should stop immediately and consult with your doctor.
If you have severe knee pain then you should, of course, speak with your doctor or physical therapist for medical advice before trying these exercises.
You will need to stretch and warm-up before attempting any exercise to strengthen knees. These gentle exercises include walking, cycling, and the use of the elliptical machine. These put minimal stress on the knee.
They will increase blood flow to the muscles and help them to become more flexible.
What Not To Do
- Do not let the back arch during the exercise.
- Do not jerk or bounce the leg or lift it above the knee on the bent leg.
- People who have osteoporosis or a back compression fracture should not perform this exercise.
Muscles involved: Hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
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When To Seek Treatment For Your Arthritis
Arthritis doesnt have to spell the end of an active life. If you are experiencing worrisome symptoms or persistent pain, the renowned arthritis specialists at Summit Orthopedics can help. We work with you to confirm a diagnosis and develop an appropriate conservative treatment plan. If nonsurgical treatments fail to support your lifestyle goals, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons will consult with you and discuss appropriate surgical options. Summit is home to innovative joint replacement options. Our Vadnais Heights Surgery Center is one of only two surgery centers nationally to receive The Joint Commissions Advanced Certification for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement.
Start your journey to healthier joints. Find your arthritis expert, request an appointment online, or call us at to schedule a consultation.
Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.
How To Practice Deep Lunging
For people with knee osteoarthritis, lunging poses the same benefits and risks as deep squatting.
Lunges are a great way to improve your overall leg and hip strength, but they may cause unnecessary pain when practiced incorrectly.
The trick, Bell says, is to make sure your knee doesnt extend past your ankle.
You may also find it helpful to practice lunges while holding on to the back of a chair or table for added support.
To do a basic lunge:
During your practice, its important that you take note of any changes in pain or discomfort. If you begin experiencing more pain than usual, you should stop lunging for the day and move on to another form of exercise.
Running can increase your overall wellness and help control weight. This can reduce the amount of stress on your knees and lessen the overall effect of osteoarthritis.
However, some caveats do apply:
No one with arthritis should start running, she says flatly.
To minimize symptoms:
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Knee Exercise: Slow March
Strengthens stabilizing muscles of your foot, knee, and hip
- Stand next to a wall or door frame for support.
- Balance on right foot hold on to wall or door frame to stay steady, if needed.
- Keep your knee straight over your ankle, with a slight bend.
- Slowly lift your left foot until your knee is level with your hip, or as close to that position as you can get without pain.
- Slowly lower it back to the floor then repeat with the other foot .
- Repeat the sequence as many times as you can, while holding the correct position.
Tip: Pay attention to any loss of stability, advises Shroyer. For example, if your right foot is on the floor and your right knee wants to bow in when you lift your left, dont raise your left foot so high. Focus your attention on keeping your right foot stable, making sure both the ball and heel of the foot have equal and balanced pressure on the floor.
How To Practice Squatting
Squatting can help build leg and hip strength, leading to more stable joints. Over time, your range of motion will increase.
As long as youre able to practice with minimal knee joint discomfort, its safe to include squats in your exercise routine.
People with arthritis may find the most benefit in wall squats, since squatting against the wall can help reduce your risk of putting unnecessary or incorrect pressure on your knees.
To do a basic squat:
Keep the knee over the ankle and not over the ball of the foot, Bell cautions.
If you begin to experience intense pain at any point more than your typical knee pain you should stop the practice for the day.
Be sure to give the move another try during your next practice. Youll find that your pain threshold increases as you build up muscle strength.
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