1. Keep Moving with Range of Motion Exercises
Unfortunately, many people living with arthritis knee pain have a tendency to move less, thinking that this will decrease their pain. However, the less you move, the weaker and tighter the muscles and ligaments around the knee joint can become which can actually increase your pain. Each day you should try to do some range of motion exercises. This can include activities such as walking, biking or swimming that gets your legs moving. You can also do movements such as marching in place, leg kicks or side stepping either standing, standing and holding onto a chair or counter or seated in a chair. The idea of these exercises is to loosen the muscles around the knee joint and to gently bend and straighten the knee to help prevent stiffness.
2. Strengthen the Muscles Around the Joint
Keeping your muscles strong goes a long way in helping to manage and prevent joint pain. Since muscles pull on the bones to make the joints move, it only makes sense that if the muscles become weak due to inactivity, there will be more pressure on the joint when moving. For example, if the muscles of the thighs become weak, activities such as getting up and down from a chair or climbing stairs will place undo stress on the knees, making these activities more painful.
Try sitting up straight in a chair with ankle weights on. Tighten the muscles in your right thigh, lift your foot up and straighten the leg. Make sure you straighten the knee completely but do not lock the knee. Then return the foot to the floor slowly and with control. Repeat 10 to 12 more times with the right leg and then do the same with the left.
Stand up straight with a chair behind you. The feet are shoulder width apart. Keeping your back straight, lean forward at the hips and reach the buttocks back as if you were about to sit in the chair. Then push the feet into the floor and come back up to standing. Once again, make sure you straighten the knees completely without locking them. Repeat 10 to 12 times. If this movement hurts your knees, try stepping the feet wider apart and only lower down as far as you can without pain.
3. Stretch the Muscles Around the Joint
Keeping the muscles around the knee joint flexible will also help you to manage and prevent knee pain.
Sit up straight at the edge of a chair. Straighten the right leg out and place the heel on the floor. Pull back on the toes and flex the foot. Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch up the back of the right leg. Do not bounce the stretch. Hold the stretch and take deep breaths for thirty seconds. Repeat with the left leg.
Stand up and hold onto a chair or counter for support. Bend your right knee so the right foot goes back behind you. You are trying to bring your right foot towards your buttocks. Hold the stretch here or you can try holding your right foot, ankle or pant leg. Do not bounce the stretch. Hold the stretch and take deep breaths for 30 seconds. Repeat with the left leg.
