Physical activity is essential to optimizing both physical and mental health and can play a vital role in the management of arthritis. Regular physical activity can keep the muscles around affected joints strong, decrease bone loss and may help control joint swelling and pain.
Exercises enhances energy and play an important role in weight loss. Generally, most of the patients that suffers from OA knee are obese or overweight. This furthermore places more stress to the knee joint which is the main weightbearing joint of our body as many research had said.Exercises keep us mobile and improve our stamina at the same time. Below are some goals of exercises that is directed for knee OA
Muscle Strengthening
One of the ways to help achieve these goals is through muscle strengthening. In general, appropriately strengthened muscles may help to minimize the adverse effects of weight bearing on the joints by reducing the amount of force that is transmitted across the affected joints. It has been shown that weak quadriceps muscles are common in people experiencing symptoms of osteoarthritis at the knee. In addition, studies have shown that when these patients strengthen their quadriceps muscles significant improvements in pain and function are seen when compared with those who did not strengthen these muscles.
Improving Flexibility and Joint Motion
Another goal of the exercise program is increasing flexibility and range of motion of the affected joints. Often, when people do not use their muscles, not only do the muscles become weak, but they can also change shape and shorten to the point where they limit normal movement. This abnormal muscle shape and length can also contribute to the visible joint deformities that result from severe arthritis. Flexibility exercises may begin with simply taking the joint through its normal range of motion on a frequent, regular basis. Additionally, overcoming tightness in muscles/tendons can be accomplished via prolonged, sustained stretching that specifically targets the muscles/tendons that were found to be restricted.
Improve Aerobic Functioning
Often, people with osteoarthritis limit their activities due to pain and range of motion restrictions. This can result in decreased cardiovascular fitness, with associated functional decline and adverse effects on overall health. Thus, it is important that patients with osteoarthritis find ways to maintain cardiovascular fitness. By improving endurance, you may be able to regain functions that have been lost, and reengage in enjoyable activities that had been discontinued. In addition to functional improvements, exercise has also been shown to decrease pain in osteoarthritis. For example, participating in aerobic exercises such as walking or cycling has been shown to decrease the pain related to arthritis.
Weight Loss
In addition to the direct benefits exercise has on local tissues, it also has more far-reaching benefits throughout the patient as a whole. One such benefit is weight loss, which is particularly important in osteoarthritis patients who are overweight. Mechanically, for every 1 pound increase in weight across a joint, the force is increased by 2-3 pounds. Thus, through weight loss, there is a decrease in forces across the joint. Weight reduction decreases the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis, as well as decreasing symptoms in patients who have osteoarthritis, particularly for those with involvement of weight-bearing joints. Weight-reduction also improves a patients exercise tolerance and aerobic abilities, with associated improvements in functional activities and improved sense of overall well being.
Strengthening Exercises for Knee and Hip
Quadriceps
1) Quad sets: while in a seated position, with legs fully extended in front of you, make a muscle with your thighs trying to push the back of your knee down towards the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and then repeat.
2) Wall slide: place your back up against the wall with your hips and knees bent to a 90 degree angle as if you were sitting in a chair. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then come up and relax. Repeat.
3) Isotonic Quad exercise: sitting in a chair with your feet planted flat on the floor, raise your right leg straight out in front of you. Relax and bring back to the floor. Repeat on the left. As you are able to you can add ankle weights to increase resistance.
Hamstrings
1) Isometric: while lying on the floor place heels on surface such as a couch or an exercise ball. Press down using the backs of your thighs and hold contraction for 10 seconds. Relax and then repeat.
2) Isotonic: lying on your belly with a pillow under your abdomen to support your back, bend your knee and bring your foot back towards your buttock. Bring back down to the floor repeat on the other side.
Gluteal Muscles
1) Isometric: Lying down on a flat surface back flat on the floor, bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your buttocks up off the ground contracting your butt muscles together. Hold for 10 seconds then relax.
Calf muscles (gastrocnemius)
1) Using a wall or chair for balance, go up on your toes using your calf muscles hold yourself. Contract for 10 seconds, relax and repeat.
