Information On Exercises For An Arthritic Knee

There are primarily three types of arthritis that affect the knee, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects joint cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease, and post-traumatic arthritis occurs after an injury. Symptoms include pain, stiffness and swollen joints. Exercise is one of the top non-surgical treatments for different types of knee arthritis.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise activates skeletal muscle and has many important physiological benefits. Exercising an arthritic knee can increase range of motion, improve flexibility and strengthen muscles surrounding the affected joints. It can also help decrease bone loss and control joint inflammation. Exercising an arthritic knee has been shown to reduce or eliminate pain, in part by replenishing lubrication to the cartilage. It can also prevent arthritis from worsening.

Types of Exercise

A 2005 report about treating arthritis, published in the journal "Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America," says there are three main categories of exercise for treating arthritic disorders: range of motion; flexibility and strength; and aerobic activity. Range of motion exercises focus on moving joints and stretching. Strength training involves using body weight or light weights for resistance, with the goal to strengthen surrounding muscles. Aerobic activity improves endurance and overall health.

Other Benefits

Exercise helps enhance energy and stamina, decreases fatigue and can improve sleep, according to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. Regular exercise also helps reduce weight, which can lead to significant pain and swelling reduction. Lack of physical activity is associated with muscle weakness, joint stiffness, reduced range of motion, fatigue and even psychological distress.

Starting an Exercise Routine

People with arthritis should begin a new exercise regimen slowly and gradually in terms of intensity, complexity of poses and movements and duration. Arthritic patients are often at a lower level of fitness because of pain and stiffness. Too much exercise too quickly can cause painful flare-ups, inflammation and even joint damage. At first, individuals should alternate between a few minutes of exercise and rest. They should avoid rapid and repetitive knee movements. All exercises should be adapted to the patient's unique needs.

The Best Exercise for Knee Arthritis

The best exercise is the routine a person will stick with. In an evaluation of the effects of different exercises on patients with osteoarthritis, researchers assigned volunteers to either an aerobic or resistance exercise routine. The aerobic exercise group worked out for 40 minutes, three times a week. The resistance-training group did two sets of nine exercises, 12 repetitions each, three times a week for 40 minutes. By the end of the study, the results published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," researchers determined that both groups experienced significant improvements in symptoms, including reduced physical disability, improved physical performance and pain reduction.