Exercise and Arthritis in Your Knees

Arthritis is characterised by the joint inflammation, resulting in pain, swelling, and decreased movements of the affected joint. It is among the leading causes of disability in people over 55 years of age. In arthritis, the affected joint and the muscles, which move the particular joint, become painful, weak, and stiff.

Arthritis in the knee results in painful, weak, stiff knee joint, and the quadriceps femoris muscle. This quadriceps muscle, which has four parts or heads and runs from the hip to the knee, is the main protector of your knee joint. It is at the front part of the thigh and helps straighten the leg. Arthritis in your knee joint causes difficulty in bending, walking, and participating in exercise, sports, and daily physical activities. However, certain stretching and strengthening exercises help offer some relief.

How does exercise help relieve the arthritis in your knee joint? Regular exercise can strengthen your quadriceps muscle gradually. Strong quadriceps can absorb shock. Consequently, it decreases the stress and impact on the affected knee joint. Stretching exercises also help relax the quadriceps and improve the range of movements of the knee. It decreases the risk of a knee injury. However, the intensity, duration, and the frequency of the strengthening and stretching exercises depend on the nature of the affected knee joint. Therefore, you should consult the doctor before starting these exercises.

There are several exercises, which helps you strengthen your knees. One of them is the single leg raises while you are lying on the back. Raise one of your legs (without bending the knee) at a time roughly one to two feet off the ground. You can perform knee extensions too. Sit on an exercise bench or a chair with the knee bent at 90 degrees and then straight the leg. You can add some weights gradually to increase the strength of the knee while the knee, and the quadriceps become stronger. Cycling, walking, and wall squatting are also effective options to strengthen the affected knee and the quadriceps muscle.

How can you stretch the quadriceps? You can bend one of your knees backward and bring the foot up to the buttock while you stand. Hold the foot with your hand (same side) for about 20 to 30 seconds, while keeping the belly in and the buttocks tight. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. You can also perform it lying down on a side. However, you should warm up for about five to ten minutes before you do stretching exercises.

If you have weakened knee ligaments or misaligned knee joints, strengthening exercises may harm your knee joint further. Stretching the quadriceps too much can cause a strain as well. Therefore, you should consult the doctor, before starting stretching or strengthening exercises to relieve arthritis in your knee joints. Get advice from a physical therapist to learn the correct stretching techniques, which help prevent straining of the quadriceps muscle.



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