Slowly straighten the leg with knee arthritis out in front of you, until it is as straight as possible. Hold for 5 seconds before slowly reversing the movement. Lift your top knee as far as you can, without letting your pelvis rotate forward or back. Keep your feet together and back straight during the exercise.
Living with osteoarthritis in the knees can be challenging, but there are exercises that can help relieve pain and improve mobility. These exercises focus on strengthening the muscles around the knee joint, improving flexibility, and reducing inflammation.
In addition to creating more synovial fluid around the joints, exercise can increase circulation of nutrients to joints, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow to joints. Exercise also “promotes weight loss, which is helpful for joint pain and improves balance and coordination,” Callahan said. Knee osteoarthritis pain and other symptoms improve with weight loss. An exercise and diet plan can benefit knee joint pain or knee osteoarthritis in …
In addition to osteoarthritis pain relief, exercise can offset other health problems, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease. It may be hard to believe, but experts agree — exercise can help relieve joint pain from osteoarthritis (OA). One of the key factors in greater flexibility is synovial fluid, a thick liquid within the knees, hips, and other joints that keeps them lubricated.
Benefits of Exercise for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Relief
Consider exercising your knees every other day to give sore muscles a rest. When doing exercise you should listen to your pain levels, especially in the early stages. You may find that these exercises increase your symptoms slightly in the beginning.
Exercise is essential for managing osteoarthritis knee pain because it:
- Strengthens the muscles around the knee, providing additional support
- Improves flexibility and range of motion in the joint
- Reduces stiffness and inflammation
- Helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing pressure on the knees
If you’re unsure whether you could benefit from losing some weight, there are some helpful calculations you can make. Swimming and cycling are both good exercise to try if you are able to. They will help improve mobility, strength and general fitness without putting excessive stress through your joints.
Healthy joint cartilage acts like a sponge, Turkas said, absorbing synovial fluid for smooth movement. Another mistaken belief is people cannot exercise because they are too stiff. Turkas recommended that people focus on their range of motion and start with small movements that they increase over time. Arthritis knee pain commonly affects the elderly and they complain of pain inside the joint.
Recommended Exercises for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Relief
Here are some exercises that can help alleviate knee pain caused by osteoarthritis:
- Quadriceps Sets: Sit or lie down with your leg straight. Tighten the muscles on the front of your thigh and hold for a few seconds. Repeat 10-15 times.
- Straight Leg Raises: Lie down with one leg bent and the other straight. Slowly lift the straight leg to the level of the bent knee, then lower. Do 10-15 repetitions on each leg.
- Hamstring Curls: Stand and hold onto a chair for balance. Bend one knee and bring your heel towards your buttocks. Slowly release. Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.
It’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise routine, especially if you have existing knee pain or osteoarthritis. These exercises should be done regularly and gradually increased in intensity to see the best results in pain relief and improved knee function.
