If you have arthritis, then you know how debilitating the pain can be on your knees. Luckily, you don't have to suffer in silence. While moving around may be the last thing you want to do when you are dealing with stiff knees, keeping an active lifestyle will actually help protect your knees from the debilitating effects of arthritis.
As we age, we may find it increasingly difficult to continue to do the things we love, but with these tips, you'll be able to continue to do your favorite activities and possibly even avoid surgery.
1. Strengthen your Hips and Core
Your knee joint is located just below your hips and core. Therefore if you have poor control of your upper leg muscles, you are putting more stress on your knee joints. This can be combated by strengthening your core, which will help prevent and minimize the symptoms of arthritis.
2. Keep your knees mobile
Don't limit yourself. You should never fall victim to the belief that your knees are stiff and there is nothing you can do about it. The truth is by being mobile, you can maintain the mobility you have and maybe even improve what you are lacking.
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So what can you do?
If your knees are stiff, simply start by moving them. Even a 10% improvement in your knee mobility will result in huge improvements in your knee function.
If you're not looking to undergo surgery, this type of movement can be the solution you need to manage your knee pain.
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3. Don't stop doing the activities you love
If you can't tell by now, the point of this article (aside from helping you manage joint pain) is to show you that you don't have to stop doing the things you love.
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When living with arthritis (or another condition), it's natural to think slowing down on the things you love will protect you. However, when it comes to arthritis, that isn't the truth.
In fact, several studies, including one from the Center for Disease Control, show that severe joint pain among adults with arthritis is worse with inactivity.
This lies in the fact that when we are active, we keep our blood flowing, our knee joints mobile, and our muscles strong. All of these are important determining factors for how well we manage our arthritis.
6 exercises for knee pain
Check out these 6 exercises that can reduce your knee pain from the Arthritis Foundation:
1. Mini squat
Stand straight, holding the back of a chair, with your feet shoulder-width.
- Slowly bend knees to lower body a few inches.
- Keep feet flat and don’t let knees go past toes. Hold for 6 seconds.
- Slowly tighten buttocks as you straighten your knees.
2. Quad Stretch
Stand straight, holding the back of a chair.
- Step backward with one foot, keeping knees bent and feet flat.
- Tuck buttocks tightly under hips until you feel a stretch in the thigh and hip of your back leg.
- Hold 10 seconds, release, and repeat with other leg.
3. Standing Back Leg Slide
Stand straight, holding the back of a chair.
- Slide one foot backward, keeping toes on floor, until buttocks tighten.
- Slide foot to original position and repeat with other leg.
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4. Knee Strengthener – Move 1
Sit in a sturdy chair with a resistance band looped around both legs just above the ankles.
- Plant one foot firmly on the floor. Straighten the other leg forward and hold for 6 seconds.
- Relax. Repeat with each leg.
5. Knee Strengthener – Move 2
Plant one foot firmly on the floor. Bend the other leg back under the chair and hold for 6 seconds.
- Relax. Repeat with each leg.
6. Hamstring Stretch
Sit on the edge of a chair.
- Straighten one leg forward, with heel on the ground and toes pointed up. Keep the other foot flat on the floor.
- Keeping your back straight, gently lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the back of the outstretched leg.
- Hold 10 seconds and release. Repeat with each leg.
If you’re just beginning, start with one set of 3 to 4 repetitions and work up to 8 to 10 as you get stronger. As the exercises get easier, add sets until you’re up to three.
Remember our knees have to carry us through the rest of our lives, so if you want to optimize your knee health as you age, get moving!
