Osteoarthritis might at first present a rehabilitation dilemma: the condition affects your joints, most commonly the knees, making many common exercise techniques painful or unbearable. With a little adaptation, however, you can use a wide variety of exercises that won't be painful, letting you create a therapy program to treat your osteoarthritis.
The Condition
Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder that causes pain, weakness, stiffness, decreased range of motion and instability in joints. The condition occurs when you lose cartilage that cushions joints, such as the knees and hips. With enough cartilage loss, bones previously cushioned from each other now come into contact with each other as you move. Exercise can help delay or prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.
The Research
Exercise is important in managing osteoarthritis, according to researchers Kim Bennell, and Rana Hinman of Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, School of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. In their study, "Exercise as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis," the researchers concluded that strengthening the hips and quadriceps, which are muscles on the upper leg, decreases your risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. The researchers found that osteoarthritis exercise therapy is more effective when your therapy program includes weight loss. Bennell and Hinman's examination of other osteoarthritis studies found that most researchers recommended a combined aerobic and general strength training therapy for treating osteoarthritis.
Exercise Impact
In order not to exacerbate wear and tear on your joints and to create exercise routines that cause less pain, you should use low- or non-impact exercises. Non-impact exercises keep both feet grounded during exercise, such as using an elliptical or riding an exercise bike. Low-impact exercises keep one foot on the ground, such as walking or performing step aerobics. Low- and non-impact exercises can include water aerobics, swimming and seated and lying exercises.
Exercise Weightbearing
Non- and low-impact exercises can still cause stress and discomfort if your joints must support your body's weight during the exercises. For example, while an elliptical machine provides a non-impact workout, you put considerable body weight and stress on your knees. You also place weight or put stress on joints during walking, riding a bike with a high gear setting or performing step aerobics. If your osteoarthritis won't allow you to do weight-bearing exercises, you can perform muscle-strengthening exercises from a sitting or lying position.
Strength Exercises
For seated exercises, you can raise, hold and lower your legs. As this becomes easier for you, add resistance bands or ankle weights. Lying on the floor on your back, you can move your feet toward your buttocks, then push on the floor, raising your buttocks off the floor, holding for 10 seconds, then lowering. Lying on your stomach with a pillow under your middle, move your heel toward your buttocks, hold, then return. Standing behind a chair or against a wall for balance, raise yourself by taking your heels off the ground and standing on your toes for 10 seconds before lowering. Stand with your back against a wall, lower yourself to a seated position, hold for 10 seconds, the raise yourself. Perform three to 10 repetitions on these exercises, depending on your strength, three times each day.
Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercise causes your heart rate and breathing to rise significantly, similar to a pace of jogging. You should be able to talk while you exercise, or you have left the aerobic zone and are working too hard. You should perform the exercise at a pace that lets you continue for 20 minutes or longer. If you are new to exercise, you can build cardiovascular stamina and muscular endurance by starting slower, at a pace comparable to a brisk walk. After two to three weeks, you may be ready to increase your pace to an aerobic level.
