If the middle of your knee is stiff with arthritis, getting exercise will help lower your risk of becoming immobilized by your condition, according to the Mayo Clinic. You may be hesitant to engage in activities that require you to use your already painful joints, but you don't need to sprint in any races to get in some exercise. Some simple moderate-paced activities will help alleviate your symptoms.
Benefits
Not exercising may cause more pain and stiffness in your knee joints because you need strength in your muscles and surrounding tissues for bone support, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercising your legs when you have arthritis in your knee can help increase your range of motion and flexibility and strengthen your leg muscles, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Types
A well-balanced exercise regimen includes range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercise and aerobic exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. Range-of-motion exercises require you to move your joints through their normal movement range, strengthening exercises such as weight training help you improve or maintain your muscle strength and aerobic exercise helps you control your weight and gives you more energy. Aerobic exercise is important for a person with knee arthritis, because being overweight can put unnecessary stress on weight-bearing joints, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Sample Knee Exercises
One range-of-motion exercise is a leg extension. Sit on a chair, straighten one leg in front of you and bring it back down, according to UW Medicine. Alternate your right and left legs 10 times.
One strengthening exercise is a knee bend. Stand with your feet about one foot apart, bring your hands to your hips and slightly bend with your knees as if you were about to sit on a chair, then return to standing straight, recommends Hyalgan.com. Work your way up to 10 repetitions. Don't let your knees extend past your toes and don't bend past a 90-degree angle.
An ideal aerobic exercise for someone with arthritis in the knee is swimming. It is low-impact, which means it won't put as much stress on your knees as an activity such as jumping rope or running. Work up to 20 to 30 minutes per day, recommends the Mayo Clinic.
Tips
Relax your joints and muscles prior to exercise by applying a warm towel to your knees or taking a warm shower for 20 minutes, recommends the Mayo Clinic. Begin slowly with range-of-motion exercises for at least five minutes before you start doing any strengthening exercises or aerobic workouts. Use slow, easy movements as you exercise and slow down even more if you see any redness or swelling in your joints, recommends the Mayo Clinic.
Warning
You are likely exercising too hard if you experience pain that lasts more than two hours after you finish, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you continue to experience pain, ask your doctor about what kind of pain you should expect and what kind of pain may indicate a more serious problem.
