The best knee exercise for arthritis mainly targets compressive motions on the knees.
They strengthen tissues, cells, and muscles around your knees.
In fact, performing the best exercise for arthritis in the knee prevents discomfort and pain in your knees and joints.
They help you recover from knee arthritis and prevent other chronic illnesses.
The best exercise for knee arthritis includes balancing, stability, flexibility, stretching, warm-ups, and other simple cardio exercises like swimming, cycling, and walking.
This article provides you with the best exercise for knee arthritis to help you gain stability and reduce knee pain and discomfort.
How exercise for arthritis works?
Knee exercise for arthritis strengthens your knee muscles, joints and boosts your blood flow.
It also helps build stronger knee muscles. Knee exercise improves arteries’ functions.
This leads to effective blood flow on the knee, thereby, relieving knee pain caused by arthritis.
Actually, it boosts your immune system to fight against knee arthritis.
Benefits of Knee exercise for arthritis
- It helps in joint pain relief
- Knee exercise reduces discomfort in the knee
- It strengthens your knee muscles
- Knee exercise boosts your blood flow
- Helps boost your sex drive and performance
- It reduces knee arthritis
- Helps boost your mood
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Knee exercise for arthritis prevents other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and blood pressure. here are some other health benefits of exercise.
What to do before starting your exercise for knee arthritis
To make exercise easier for knee arthritis, you need to follow these tips;
a. Draft a realistic workout routine.
For instance, ensure you workout when you are free and feel comfortable to avoid injuries. Also, exercising when the stiffness is at its worst is not good therefore, avoid workouts when stiffness is at its worst.
b. Before exercising, compress the knee with a warm soaked towel or take a warm bath. You can also use cold packs after your workouts to relieve the pain faster.
c. In case you intend to perform resistance training, always warm-ups prior to it. this will adjust the muscles and make them ready for the workout to avoid injuries.
d. Eat energy-rich food or you can use pre-workout supplements to boost your performance.
e. Remember to listen to your body and train within your limit. You can stop workout if feel more discomfort or pain.
Do not overtain, you need enough time to rest to reduce inflammation, pain, and fatigue.
Exercise within a comfortable range of motion and stop in any case you experience unusual sharp pain.
Here are best knee exercises for arthritis in the knee
Knee stretching and warm-ups
Another best of the best knee exercise for arthritis and joint pain at home is knee stretches and warm-ups.
There are specific knee stretching that relieves knee pain and leg joint pain. There are several knee exercises for arthritis that can help you relieve the discomfort.
These knee stretching exercises are precisely discussed as follows.
a) Leg raise
Legs raise stretching is a simple and powerful knee exercise that targets knee muscles.
It strengthens a wide array of your knee muscles and helps reduce knee pain and other leg discomforts.
In fact, you can perform this leg exercise for arthritis in the knee at home or in your office.
How to perform leg raises
There are two types of leg raises for knee arthritis. You can perform them as follows
i) Straight leg raise on a chair
- while sitting in your chair and when lying down. Ensure you are stable while sitting in a chair
- Now raise your one leg up until your leg is parallel to the floor, under control pause at that point for 5 seconds and return to the starting point
- Turn to the other leg and do the same
- For effective knee pain relief perform 3 sets with 10 reps and rest for 30 seconds for each leg
ii) Straight leg raises while lying on the ground with your back
- bend your one leg while one is straight on the floor
- Now lift the leg that is lying straight on the ground and pause while it is off the ground for 5 seconds
- change to the next leg and do the same
- Repeat it 4 times for effective results
The two straight leg raise will reduce the discomfort in the knee joint and help you stay stronger while living with arthritis.
b) Knee muscle stretch
Knee muscle stretching exercise helps in strengthening your knee joint muscles to reduce discomfort and pain.
How to perform Knee Muscle stretch for arthritis
- You can perform this workout by simply stretching your knees
- Here goes, while sitting in your chair or lying on your bed, ensure that your legs are straight
- Now press your knee with your hands in slow motion as you pause
- You can press it downwards to make a parallel line with the floor or bed
This comprehensive stretching will strengthen your knee muscles and reduce the discomfort caused by arthritis in the knee.
c) Sit-stand pause knee exercise
Another best knee stretching exercise for arthritis is normal sitting and standing.
Actually, people ignore the simplest exercise for arthritis: sit-stand pause exercise.
While in the office or at home and living with arthritis, just perform these exercises.
How to perform sit-stand knee exercise for arthritis
- Here we go, with your chair sit in it and stand
- Pause while standing pause for 5 seconds then sit again
- Perform it 8 times and you will give back feedback on how you feel
2. Leaning on the walls squats
Leaning on the wall as you squat is a very powerful knee exercise for those living with arthritis.
It prevents knee injuries during exercise for arthritis in knee and enables you to stay stable and balanced.
Here is how to perform this knee exercise for arthritis at home.
How to perform walls squats for knee arthritis
- Lean on the wall with your back
- Then slowly squat while still leaning on the wall
- Pause for 5 seconds when your hips are about to reach the knee level
- Return to the starting point and repeat it 3 sets 6 to 10 reps
3. Cycling for knee arthritis
The best way to prevent joint pain and knee arthritis at home is by taking your bicycle and making a ride within the compound.
Studies show that cycling strengthens joints and reduces joint pain and arthritis risks.
However, don’t override and be careful and stay focus as you ride to avoid injuries.
Taking 10 to 20 minutes cycling can prevent knee discomfort and arthritis in knee.
4. Walking to strengthen knee muscles
Walking Is a very powerful exercise for knee arthritis.
In fact, walking strengthens knee muscles and reduces knee pain.
Walking is one of the best exercises for those who are living with arthritis especially, arthritis in knee.
For that matter, you need to take a walk every morning and evening for at least 10 to 25 minutes’ walk.
This will reduce knee pain and joint pain. Walking strengthen lower body muscles and improves the cardiovascular system.
5. Swimming to improve blood flow to the joints
Swimming is a powerful tool for arthritis. People who are living with arthritis should have regular visits to the local swimming pool to swim.
It helps reduce joint pain and knee pain. Actually, swimming improves blood flow and strengthens overall body muscles.
Therefore, get your knee muscles to strengthen while enjoying swimming.
6. Pilate workout for knee
Pilate exercise for arthritis in the knee is very effective especially when you have a home personal trainer.
It strengthens your core, helps in balancing and stability, and improves your blood flow.
Pilate exercise is one of the most recommended for knee arthritis and other forms of chronic illnesses.
7. Yoga exercise for knee arthritis
Yoga knee exercise for arthritis focuses on stability and flexibility.
It strengthens knee muscles and makes you feel comfortable. Yoga is one of the best exercises for arthritis in knee.
Therefore, if you are living with arthritis, then you need to perform yoga exercises.
You can join a local gym or studio for effective joint pain relief.
It also improves blood flow and prevents chronic illnesses such as diabetes and blood pressure among others.
8. Climbing stairs
Climbing stairs is also a suitable exercise for knee arthritis.
You may be living in upstairs or your office upstairs. You can avoid lifts or escalators and climb the stairs.
That is even more difficult for you. The best thing to do, is there are three or four-door stairs.
How to perform Climbing Stairs knee workout for arthritis
- Walk along the door stairs step by step as pause up and down the stairs
- Repeat it 4 times to strengthen your knee muscles and reduce discomfort
9. Squats to strengthen knee muscles
You can perform free weight squats or use barbells or dumbbells and perform 3 to 4 sets with 10 reps of squats.
Actually, squats are a very effective exercise for arthritis in the knee.
It strengthens your knee muscles and boosts your cardiovascular system.
How to perform squats for knee arthritis
- Hold your barbell or dumbbell
- Place your legs apart, not too wide
- Lift the dumbbell to chest size
- Now squat under control for effective results
- Repeat it 5 to 8 times and rest 60 seconds between sets
10. Jogging to reduce joint pain
Jogging is another effective exercise for arthritis in the knee.
It involves a wide array of body motions. Jogging prevents joint pain and knee arthritis.
It also improves blood flow that reduces blood sugar levels; triglycerides level and boosts insulin sensitivity.
This prevents several chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, neurological disorders, and many more.
Summing It Up
The best knee exercise for arthritis and joint pain helps strengthen knee muscles and prevent discomfort and joint pain.
Actually, the above workouts are the most effective exercise for people living with knee arthritis.
Therefore, for a better result, they need to perform those knee exercises for arthritis on regular basis.