How to relieve knee pain from osteoarthritis with aerobic exercise
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If you're experiencing joint pain in the knees, the solution might be to walk it off.
Aerobic exercise can reduce pain, improve movement and enhance quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published October 15 in the journal The BMJ.
Around 1 in 5 adults, or 54 million people, are affected by some type of arthritis in the United States. The most common form is osteoarthritis.
Aerobic exercises are rhythmic and repetitive movements, such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
How to exercise safely with joint pain
Aerobic exercises “help nourish the joints, they strengthen supporting muscles, and they reduce pain,” said CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports.
Patients with knee osteoarthritis should be doing “low to moderate-impact aerobic activity. This is not high-impact aerobic activity, and people with knee osteoarthritis should definitely avoid running or plyometrics, like jump training,” Santas said. You don't have to aim immediately for 10,000 steps a day or 150 minutes of exercise a week, which are both common recommendations for exercise.
For patients just starting to exercise, walking or cycling for five to 10 minutes a day can help you get started in receiving those benefits and restrengthening the muscles around your joints, according to Santas.
But before starting any movement, you should properly warm up.
You can start by “mobilizing your ankles and your hips” with stretches, such as ankle circles or simple hip mobility stretches, Santas said. Being aware of your body during these exercises and pacing yourself is also key.
And it’s important for people managing knee osteoarthritis to avoid doing deep squats and twisting their hips because if hips are tight, then the movement is “going to go to the joint above or below, which is the knee,” Santas said.
No matter what aerobic exercise you choose to do, you should “ensure that your knees, which are a hinge joint, aren't being asked to do something that they're not designed to do, because that's only going to cause more issues,” she added.
Want to take it up a notch? Add some strength training
Similar to aerobic exercises, low or moderate-impact strength training can also help patients with knee osteoarthritis. An easy exercise to start with is a single-leg Romanian deadlift or RDL.
This movement can be modified by shifting your weight to one leg and coming “onto the toes of the opposite leg, so that you're not putting weight” on the nonworking leg, according to Santas.
If you're struggling with balance, you can also hold onto a wall, "and then you're just hinging from your hips to come down and then back up," she added.
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Other exercises include stair stepping and leg extensions. While strength training and aerobic exercise can improve mobility, “the benefits depend on consistency — patients don't need to train intensely, but they do need to keep moving regularly,” said Yan, a doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Aside from exercise, other methods of treating pain caused by osteoarthritis include acupuncture, weight loss, anti-inflammatory supplements and physical therapy, according to Chen.
But as always, you should contact your doctor or medical professional before pursuing any forms of treatment.
The study's findings were based on a systematic review and network meta-analysis that looked at 217 randomized controlled trials with over 15,000 participants from around the world. Researchers analyzed the impact of seven exercises and followed up with participants after four, 12 and 24 weeks.
But as always, you should contact your doctor or medical professional before pursuing any forms of treatment.
The study's findings were based on a systematic review and network meta-analysis that looked at 217 randomized controlled trials with over 15,000 participants from around the world. Researchers analyzed the impact of seven exercises and followed up with participants after four, 12 and 24 weeks.
