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Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease caused when cartilage breaks down. This allows the bones to rub together, which can result in bone spurs, stiffness, and pain.
Moving your knees is the last thing you want to do when you have knee osteoarthritis (OA). But exercise can help keep knees limber and builds strength around knee joints. Here are 5 exercises to help you take control of your knee OA. These exercises are recommendations. Before doing them, get your doctor's okay. Exercise has been proven to be the most effective treatment for early and moderate osteoarthritis of our joints. Exercise improves all-cause mortality and decreases your risks associated with. Osteoarthritis can be exacerbated by being overweight, repetitive movements in your employment, and playing sports over the years. The symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain, stiffness, difficulty moving, and pain after activity. Eventually the pain will manifest even when you are at rest. One of the best treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. While you may worry that exercising with osteoarthritis could harm your joints and cause more pain, research shows that people can and should exercise when they have osteoarthritis. In fact, exercise is considered the most effective non-drug treatment for reducing pain and improving movement in.
If you have osteoarthritis of the hip, pain may prevent you from exercising. A lack of exercise may even contribute to osteoarthritis and muscle atrophy. Regular physical activity can help strengthen muscles, improve balance, and make your hip joints more stable.
In addition to regular exercise, you can increase your movements while performing regular daily activities. Adding a moderate amount of activity each day can improve your overall health and well-being.
Factors such as your overall health and your age will help determine which exercises are best for you. Before beginning a new exercise routine, be sure to discuss it with your doctor, or ask them to recommend a physical therapist.
When beginning an exercise program, it’s best to start slowly. Some examples of low-impact, non-strenuous exercise include:
Walking
If you have balance problems, using a treadmill (with no incline) allows you to hold on. Walking at a comfortable pace — whether it’s indoors or outdoors — is an excellent low-impact exercise.
Stationary bike
Using a stationary bike on an easy setting allows you to slowly build your strength. https://heroestree568.weebly.com/download-javascript-editor.html. Using the bike in your home allows you to avoid traffic and stop when you feel strained.
Water exercises
Freestyle swimming provides a moderate workout. Walking in water up to your waist lightens the load on your joints while also providing enough resistance for your muscles to become stronger. This can greatly improve pain and daily function of the hips.
Yoga
Regular yoga can help improve flexibility of the joints, strengthen muscles, and lessen pain. Some yoga positions can add strain to your hips, so if you feel discomfort, ask your instructor for modifications. A class for beginners is a good place to start.
Tai chi
The slow, fluid movements of tai chi may relieve arthritis pain and improve balance. Tai chi is a natural and healthy stress reducer as well.
Strong muscles can take pressure off your hip joints and help improve balance. You should not engage in strength training more than twice per week. Examples of muscle strengthening exercises include:
Chair stand
Set a chair against the wall and sit towards the front of the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Recline back with arms crossed and hands on your shoulders.
With your head, neck, and back straight, bring your upper body forward and slowly rise to a standing position. Slowly return to your original seated position.
Repeat this up to six times, slowly building your strength up to 12 repetitions.
Bridge
Lie down on your back on the floor. With your knees bent and your feet on the floor, place your palms down near your hips. With a straight back, lift your buttocks up as high as possible. Use your hands for balance. Then lower yourself back to the floor.
Do four to six repetitions.
Hip extension
Using the back of a chair to balance yourself while standing, bend forward slightly and lift your right leg straight behind you as your tighten your buttocks. Lift the leg as high as possible without bending your knee or arching your back.
After holding the position briefly, lower the leg slowly. Repeat with your left leg and try to complete this four to six times on each side.
Gentle flexibility exercises, or range-of-motion exercises, help with mobility and reducing stiffness.
Inner leg stretch
How To Exercise With Osteoarthritis In Knees
Sit with knees bent and the soles of your feet touching. Holding your shins or ankles, bend your upper body forward slightly. Gently press your knees down with your elbows. Hold for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Hip and lower back stretch
Lie down on your back with legs outstretched. With your neck on the floor, turn your chin toward your chest. Bend your knees and hold them with your hands. Pull your knees toward your shoulders as far as you can. Take a deep breath and bring your knees higher as you exhale.
Double hip rotation
Lie down on your back, with knees bent and feet flat toward the floor. With your shoulders on the floor, slowly lower your knees to one side while turning your head to the other. Bring knees back and repeat on the opposite side.
Performing balance exercises three days a week can decrease your chances of falling and help you to feel more secure. Examples of exercises that help with balance include:
- tai chi
- standing on one foot
- slowly walking backwards
- simple balance exercises using Wii Fit
Aerobic exercise, also called cardio or endurance exercise, is activity that makes your heart beat faster. It’s good for your heart and can help keep you physically fit overall, but be careful not to overly stress your hip joints.
Check with your doctor before beginning a new aerobic exercise routine. Depending on what you can physically handle, examples of low-impact aerobic exercises include:
- speed walking
- vigorous swimming
- stationary bike
- aerobic dance
- Listen to your body and adjust your activities as necessary.
- Stick with gentle exercises that can strengthen the muscles around your hips.
- If you feel increased pain, stop and rest. If joint pain continues hours after you’ve stopped, you are over exerting your hip.
- Increase your activity level throughout the day by walking whenever possible.
- Use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications for your hip pain.
- Make sure you get a good night’s sleep.
- Manage your weight: extra pounds can be a burden on your hip.
- Check with your doctor if you think it may be necessary to use a cane.
- Join a health club or exercise class to help you stay focused and active.
![How How](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/irwftvcwtvq4pkgmeq1h-140512215241-phpapp02/95/exercises-for-knee-osteoarthritis-from-webmd-1-638.jpg?cb=1399932877)
Ask your doctor to recommend a physical therapist who understands osteoarthritis of the hip. Physical therapists can target treatment specifically for your condition and offer suggestions about your daily routine.
The knee is the most complex joint in the body with multiple bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments working together to keep your legs moving. Your knee is also the recipient of up to three times your body weight whenever you walk, making it vulnerable to pain and, sometimes chronic conditions like knee osteoarthritis. If you have knee OA, you might feel so much pain, stiffness, and swelling that you avoid exercise completely, but it's one of the best things you can do to manage the pain, build strength and lose weight. The key is to approach it in the right way.
The Basics of Knee Osteoarthritis
If you have knee pain of any kind, you should see your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. Knee pain can be caused by so many things, it's important to figure out what's going on so you know exactly how to treat it. When it comes to knee osteoarthritis, there are risk factors that may make you more vulnerable.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
- Genetics
- Obesity
- Past knee injuries
- Repetitive strain injuries
- Injuries involving a fracture or ligament tear which can affect knee alignment and lead to more wear and tear
- Pain during physical activities
- Swelling and stiffness around the knee joint
- You may find it difficult to bend your knee and have a limited range of motion
- Your knee may feel tender or painful
- Weakness in the knee joint
There are a number of treatment options your doctor may talk to you about such as medication, cortisone injections, supplements or, in some cases surgery. However, one of the best treatments may be the one thing many OA sufferers avoid: Exercise. Working out is hard enough when you're pain-free, but trying it with joint pain and limited mobility makes it even harder. It's tough to find exercises that feel good on your body, but they are out there and it's worth experimenting to find what will work for you.
Exercise for Knee Osteoarthritis
If you do have knee OA, exercise, with your doctor's okay, is one of the best ways to manage the pain. Just a few things exercise can do for you:
- Strengthen the muscles around your joints
- Decrease bone loss
- Reduce stiffness, pain, and swelling
- Help you function better and lose weight
- More energy
- Better mood
The key is, first, talking to your doctor and/or physical therapist about what you can and can't do. Next, you'll probably have to experiment to figure out exactly how to work around your knee pain. For example, you may want to avoid high-impact activities that stress the joints, like running or aerobics and stick with low or no impact exercise like walking or cycling. Deep knee bends, as in squats or lunges, might also be off the table, but there are always alternatives or modifications that may work for you. Your doctor or PT can help you create a solid workout plan, but below are a few ideas for how you can get started.
Water Exercise
If you're in pain, water exercise is a great choice. The buoyancy supports your body, allowing you to exercise without straining the joints. Some studies suggest that doing aerobic exercise as well as stretching, strengthening, and range of motion exercise in warm water (90-97 degrees) can reduce pain and improve range of motion.
Pool Exercises for Back Pain and Joint Discomfort
How to Get Started
- Water aerobics: Many gyms and community centers offer water aerobics classes with a focus on cardio, strength and flexibility exercises in a choreographed routine. Most of these classes cater to people with joint problems or other injuries and if you enjoy a more social exercise environment, this might be a good choice for you.
- Water Walking: Another option is to keep it simple with water walking. You can walk in shallow water or use a flotation belt in deeper water. To get started, walk for about 5-10 minutes to get a feel for it. The resistance of the water will make your steps slower and it may feel intense at first. Go as long as you can and, each workout, add a few minutes until you can walk for 20 minutes. You can also wear webbed gloves to add resistance to your upper body as well.
- Water Strength Training: Almost any exercise you do in the gym can be done in the water. Squats, lunges, leg lifts, and leg kicks can work the lower body and you can use webbed gloves or water dumbbells for biceps curls, standing chest flies or presses, lateral raises or triceps pushdowns.
Low Impact Cardio
If you have knee OA, you may find high impact cardio like running or aerobics too stressful on the joints, but there are low or no impact alternatives. Walking, riding a stationary bike or using an elliptical trainer are just a few activities that can give you a great cardio workout without as much stress on the joints. Whatever activity you choose, make sure you:
- Warm-up: A steady warm-up can help lubricate your joints and get them ready for exercise.
- Ease into it: Start with what you can handle, even if it's only a few minutes. Each time you exercise, add a few minutes until you can work out continuously for 20-30 minutes.
- Stretch: Stretching your hamstrings, calves, and quads after a workout can keep you flexible and may help reduce pain over time.
Knee Osteoarthritis Exercises Pdf
Yoga and Pilates
![Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/46/ed/ba/46edba8ab4e88f013f7240fd874b62f1.jpg)
Yoga and Pilates are also great choices if you have knee pain. Both help build flexibility, core strength and balance while reducing pain and stiffness. In fact, one study found that Iyengar yoga can reduce the pain and disability caused by knee OA. Some of the poses used in the study include:
Cardio and flexibility are just one part of the equation. Working on strengthening the muscles that support your knee can help you reduce pain and maintain lean muscle tissue in your lower body.
Strength Training for Knee Osteoarthritis
If you feel pain in your knees when you exercise, you may think strength training will only make things worse. It's true that some movements can exacerbate the problem, but working on the muscles that support your knee may reduce pain over time while helping you build more strength and endurance.
Those muscles include the:
- Quadriceps: You can strengthen this area with a variety of exercises including leg extensions, straight leg raises, knee lifts or push steps.
- Hamstrings: These exercises are great for building strength in the hamstrings: Hamstring curls, pull-throughs or hamstring rolls.
- Inner and Outer Thigh: Leg lifts and side steps work the outer thigh while inner thigh squeezes and lifts work the inner thighs.
If you need some guidance, a knee pain workout includes a variety of strength and flexibility exercises for the knees, but be sure to check with your doctor before trying this or any other workout.
Osteoarthritis Exercises For Knee
Exercises for Knee Pain
How To Exercise With Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Living with knee OA can be frustrating, but avoiding exercise may make things worse. Daily movement, no matter what activity you choose, can help keep your joints strong, mobile and flexible. Not only that, it's a great reminder that you can take control of your situation, even if there are some limitations on what you can do.
Knee Osteoarthritis Exercises Handout
- Bartels EM, Lund H, Hagen KB, et al. Aquatic Exercise For the Treatment of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis. 2007. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD005523.
- Bennell K, Rana Hinman. Exercise as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis. 2005. Rheumatology. 17(5);:634-640,
- Kolasinski S, Garfinkel M, Tsai A, et al. Iyengar Yoga for Treating Symptoms of Osteoarthritis of the Knees. J of Comp Med. 2005, 11(4): 689-693.
- Patrella R. Is exercise effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee?. Br J Sports Med 2000 October;34(5):326-331