Arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects various joints such as the lower back, wrist, ankle, toes, and elbows. It reduces joint mobility and causes stiffness and acute pain in the joints as the condition progresses. It is essential to consult a medical professional such as a rheumatologist who specializes in the treatment of arthritis for care options. Regular physical activities are also important as they help manage the condition, improve mobility and reduce inflammation.

Knees are very commonly affected due to arthritis and can be under a lot of stress and pain. Knee joints often lock up, resulting in poor movement and overall stress and pain. It can, however, be managed with simple home knee exercises.

Read on to learn about Arthritic knees and simple knee pain exercises that ease arthritic pain.

How Regular Exercise Help Easing Knee Arthritis

It is essential to keep knee joints healthy and full mobility when someone is diagnosed with arthritis. While the idea of exercise for the knee during pain may seem confusing, it is vital and offers several benefits.

Regular exercises can help to reduce inflammation caused by stiffness and engage the joint. It can also help keep the joint and muscles strong and reduce the pain at which the joints may be affected. Exercise also helps to maintain full function and mobility in the knee joint.

6 Simple Exercises for Knee Arthritis

Here is a quick guide to the best knee pain exercises to help maintain knee health during arthritis.

Leg Raise(lying/sitting)

Leg raising is an effective way of reducing pain in the knees. You can do this by lying on a floor or on a flat surface. Raise your legs from the floor, keep straight legs for a few seconds, and lower them—this aids in strengthening the quadriceps in your thighs attached to the knee joints.

Leg Stretch

Leg stretch helps in strengthening the quadriceps and the calf muscles. Sitting on a floor with your back straight, stretch your legs out. Now bend your knees, hold them comfortably, and repeat the same.

Hamstring Stretch

A hamstring stretch helps to strengthen your hamstring. The hamstring muscle is attached to the knees and back of the thighs and is crucial for taking some pressure. It is an important part of the knee arthritis regimen exercise.

Lie down on your back, with both knees bent to perform this stretch. Slowly bring the knee closer to your body, keep it bent, and pull it closer to your chest. You should feel a stretch in the back of your thighs when you do this. Hold the position for a few seconds and repeat with the other leg. This exercise will help people with knee arthritis.

Sit and Stand

Sit, and stand are simple yet effective exercises for joint pain that can help strengthen your glutes and quadriceps. It also increases mobility in the joints and strengthens the muscles around the knee joint.

To perform this, place a chair and sit on it. Now cross your arms and slowly get up without taking the support of the arms of the chair. Repeat the step several times till comfortable.

Kick-backs

Kickbacks effectively reduce stiffness and strengthen the joints and hamstring muscles. It is a simple exercise and can be performed at home.

• Begin by standing up straight.
• Now Lift one foot and bend the knee, bringing the heel toward the buttocks.
• Hold the position for a few seconds.
• Alternate between legs and repeat a few times daily.
• Ensure to keep the knee and the feet aligned.

Quadriceps stretch

This is an exercise that trains the knee joints and the quadriceps muscles. It needs to be performed by lying down. 

Lie flat on the ground, and then stretch one hand in front. Bend your knees towards your buttocks, grab the ankle or shin and pull it towards your back. It would be best if you did this until you felt a stretch. Repeat a few times till comfortable.

Things to Consider Before You Start

It is always advisable to consult a medical professional who can guide you through the condition of arthritis and possible exercises. Besides this, it is also essential to understand the progression of the illness. It is important to start slow, with simple exercises that are not strenuous, and build up from there. Rest is vital in such cases.

Other things to understand are what exercises will be feasible for you to engage in, adding them to daily activities, and maintaining steady progress will help you handle the knee pain. Rest, care and medication are also important while engaging in physical exercises to treat arthritis.

To Sum it all Up

Knee pains with arthritis can be painful and difficult to manage. Engaging with simple exercises and medication is important to ensure knee mobility is not reduced and to avoid inflammation.

These exercises can help to manage the pain. Exploring alternative care such as acupuncture and chiropractic care can be helpful and provide special treatment for knee pain.

These simple exercises can help reduce pain, increase mobility and improve mood and health as they focus on the condition and the best possible intervention. At Physiotattva, we offer care ranging from simple exercises to personalized chiropractic and physiotherapy treatment suitable for the individual.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best exercise for arthritis in your knees?

Easy mobility and strengthening activities such as squats and hamstring stretches can be effective as they strengthen the knee muscles and joints. Rest, Ice and compression are also important while engaging in such activities.

How can I stop my arthritis knee pain from getting worse?

While it is almost impossible to cure one's arthritis, it can be managed very well with medication and simple exercises. For knee pains, it is important to engage in simple strengthening and flexibility exercises to strengthen the hamstring, quadriceps, and knee joints. Along with rest, heat and cold therapy, pain relievers, and medication from doctors can help manage the pain.