Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common problem among older women. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, women over 50 have a greater risk of developing knee osteoarthritis than men. Among both older men and women, knee osteoarthritis is one of the top five reasons for disability. Regardless of the type of arthritis, regular physical exercise is an excellent way to keep your joints healthy as well as improve symptoms. Exercise for knee arthritis should focus on strengthening and stretching the muscles that surround the knee, namely the quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
Quadriceps Stretch
Stretching exercises can alleviate stiffness of the knee joint and improve range of motion for arthritis sufferers. This specific exercise targets the quadriceps muscle, which is found on the front of your upper thigh. To do this stretch, stand next to a table or chair for balance. Raise your right heel toward the buttocks and grab onto your ankle with your right hand. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat three times on each leg.
Wall Squats
Strong quadriceps muscles may protect women from developing symptoms of knee arthritis, according to a 2009 study published in "Arthritis Rheumatology." Researchers uncovered that women with the highest quadriceps muscle strength were less likely to exhibit symptoms of knee osteoarthritis as well as develop osteoarthritis. Squats are an excellent way to strengthen the quadriceps. For this exercise, begin by standing with your back flat against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart. Walk your feet away from the wall about 2 feet. Bend your knees and slowly lower your buttocks as if you are sitting in a chair. Continue until your upper legs are parallel to the ground. Hold this position for five to 10 seconds. Straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Repeat 15 times. Remember to keep your back in contact with the wall during the entirety of this exercise and do not allow your knees to cross in front of your toes.
Hamstring Curls
This exercise targets the hamstring muscles, located on the back of the upper thigh. Similar to the benefits of strong quadriceps, strong hamstrings will also reduce the amount of stress placed on the knee, thereby improving your symptoms. To do this exercise, stand next to a table or chair for balance. Bend your right knee and slowly raise your heel to the buttocks. Then lower your foot back down to the starting position. Do three sets of 15 repetitions and repeat on the left leg. To increase the difficulty, try wrapping a light ankle weight around your ankle.
Water Exercise
Water exercise has long been recommended as a low-impact form of exercise for arthritis patients and researchers have been able to prove its benefits. A 2007 study published in the "Cochrane Library" found that water exercise ameliorated pain by one point on a scale from zero to 20 and functioning by three points on a scale from zero to 68 in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. The buoyancy of water allows you to enjoy all the benefits of aerobic exercise without the impact. Since water also retains a resistive property that is 12 times greater than that of air, water exercise also provides an excellent strengthening program to build the muscles surrounding the joint.
References
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: Frequently Asked Questions about Osteoarthritis of the Knee
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: Knee Exercises
- "Arthritis Rheumatology"; The Effect of Thigh Strength on Incident Radiographic and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis in the Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) Study; Dr. Neil A. Segal, et al; September 2009
- "The Cochrane Library"; Aquatic Exercise for the Treatment of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis (Review); E.M. Bartels, et al.; 2007
- Arthritis Foundation: Introduction to Exercise
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