How to Exercise When You Have Arthritis of the Knees
Posted on May 8, 2017 7:00am PDT
Millions of Americans and their loved ones are intimately familiar with
arthritis – the inflammation, swelling and stiffness that can take
our once limber joints hostage at any time and cause them debilitating
pain and immobility.
Osteoarthritis, sometimes referred to as "degenerative joint disease" or "wear
and tear" arthritis, is one of the most common types, and as the
name suggests, it's caused by the breakdown of the cartilage that
cushions the joints.
Though
osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body (fingers and hips are some usual targets), another common
spot is the knee. Because we use our knees for most daily living activities,
the most basic being walking, having a flare up of knee arthritis can
make it hard to get through a day. While there is no cure for this condition,
there are a variety of options to help manage the pain and stay active.
I understand that staying active with knee arthritis pain may sound like
an oxymoron. When inflammation and stiffness are most severe, it can seem
nearly impossible to move more than necessary, let alone cruise around
on a bicycle. Believe it or not, however, exercise is not only possible
for people with knee arthritis, but crucial. The thought of getting up
and being active may seem overwhelming, but consider these reasons to do so:
How to Practice Yoga When You Have Arthritis or Another Chronic Condition .
First, it's proven that
people with arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain. Concerned that exercising will
stress your joints more and make the knee pain and stiffness worse? Research
suggests that exercise has the opposite effect. In fact, exercise is considered
the most effective non-drug treatment available for reducing pain, while
improving range of motion and quality of life. Plus, it can give your
energy levels a boost and help you sleep more soundly, and you'll
likely begin to see your function levels rise. So how exactly does moving
more help
soothe sore knees and other joints? Well, when you're active and exercising, your muscles
and tissues surrounding the joints are being strengthened – and
the stronger they are, the more support they can provide for the bones
and joints. Not exercising weakens those surrounding muscles, adding to
the stress on the joints, and often results in the arthritis pain becoming
worse over time.
As with any
exercise regimen, it's imperative to clear it with your doctor first and to start off
slowly with a few low-impact activities to gauge your fitness level and
ensure you don't go too hard too quickly, which can lead to injuries.
Once you get going, there are three different types of exercises people
with arthritis should include in their routine for maximum effect in a
step-wise progression. They are:
Range of motion and flexibility. These exercises can (and should) be done daily and are designed to take
your joints through their full range of motion to maintain that movement
and become more flexible. Basic stretching is a great ROM exercise and
can be as simple as gently flexing and extending your knee repeatedly
throughout the day.
Strengthening. This type of movement will help build up the muscle strength in the quads
and hamstrings surrounding the knee joints so they're better protected
and supported. Weight lifting just two days a week is all that's necessary
to maintain muscle strength, and three days a week will help build even
more. Remember to always stretch before and after lifting weights, and
unlike range of motion exercises, give yourself a one-day break in between
weight lifting sessions.
Aerobic. This endurance type of exercise will strengthen your heart and facilitate
overall body fitness. Elevating your heart rate by walking, jogging, biking
or swimming will get those calories burning, can help you to shed pounds
if you have extra to lose (which will remove some stress on the knee joints),
boost your daytime energy and help you sleep better at night. That's
quite a lot of benefit from just 20 minutes a day. Aerobic exercise is
safe to do every day, but you can start at just a few days and work your
way progressively up as your stamina improves.
If fatigue becomes a problem as you're doing these exercises, simply
break them up into shorter 10-minute sessions throughout the day, instead
of trying to finish it all at once. The point is not to you work yourself
into exhaustion, but that your knee joint is getting consistent appropriate
movement. Don't forget that your regular daily activities still amount
to "exercise," too. Taking the dog for a walk or moving the
lawn? Yep, those count.
Remember: Motion is life, and life is motion. To anyone with arthritis,
especially of the
knee, getting the right kinds of exercise daily is vital to your health. It
sounds contradictory, but movement and exercise will ultimately free you
from the chains of immobility that arthritis can put you in. It's
possible to live the active life you've always wanted to, even with
arthritis. Set a goal for yourself, make an action plan and watch the
knee pain slowly ease away.