Knee Arthritis usually develops after the age of 40 but it occurs earlier in some cases. It occurs commonly in obese people and regular exercise can lessen the pain. Exercising an arthritic knee may be seen wrong but it can relieve arthritis pain and also other symptoms such as stiffness and swelling of joints.
Benefits of exercises:
Exercising regularly provides the following benefits to get relief from knee arthritis.
⦁ Strengthen the muscles that support the joint.
⦁ Helps to maintain the joint’s full range of motion.
⦁ Strong muscles help the joint to absorb shock.
⦁ Gentle, low-impact exercises minimize the stress on the joint by increasing its flexibility and strength.
Types of exercises for Knee Arthritis:
Walking:
Walking is an excellent form of exercise that helps to strengthen the muscles and build bone. It has a low-impact as it is a weight-bearing exercise. Prepare yourself for a walk with good shoes and gradually increase the speed and distance for best results.
Exercising at Home or Work:
Knee exercises can be done at home or even during a short break at the office. These exercises can be convenient, effective and easily done without any special equipment. Do slowly and gradually increase the number of repetitions to strengthen the muscles.
Isometric exercises:
Isometric exercise is one of the basic therapeutic exercises that help to strengthen the knee area. These exercises rapidly improve the strength and cause less inflammation and pressure. To perform this exercise, place a roll of the towel under the knee and push it down by holding it for 5 seconds. Repeat this on both legs for approximately 10 minutes.
Water exercise:
Water exercise is nothing but walking in the knee immersed water. It helps to improve the muscle strength, endurance and the flexibility of knee. The body is buoyant in water and it lessens the impact to nearly zero as it makes to work a little harder to move. Nowadays, some gym has a trend to keep hydrotherapy tubs.
Gentle stretching exercises:
Gentle stretching exercises has a positive effect on the muscles of the knee joint and soft tissues. Some gentle stretching exercises help to maintain the circulation and also prevents the tightening of muscles.
Tip before doing the Exercises:
If you can, put a moist heat pack on the arthritic knee for 20 minutes before starting an exercise. Because the heat brings blood up to the surface and decreases the stiffness and soothing.
Patient on medication:
If you take medications for pain, take them 45 minutes before the exercise for controlling pain during workouts.
Tip after doing the Exercises:
After exercises, put an ice pack on the sore knee for 10 to 15 minutes. It helps to reduce the swelling caused due to exercise and also relieves pain.
