The right exercise can protect your knee joint.
Joint degeneration -- known as osteoarthritis -- is a disease that causes pain, stiffness and swelling around the main joints such as the knee or elbow. Figures from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases show that osteoarthritis affects an estimated 27 million Americans over the age of 25 and is the universal form of arthritis. People at risk, the obese, those with weak muscle mass or decreased muscle mass due to aging or those who have had a knee injury can delay the onset by strengthening the knee joint and choosing the right exercise.
Instructions
1. Strengthen your knee muscles to prevent any harm to them while exercising. Spend ten minutes walking gently, or by riding a stationary bike to warm up your muscles. Then work on the quadriceps, the muscles that straighten the knee and control the movement of the kneecap. Sit at the edge of a chair and put your heels on the floor, whilst keeping your knees straight in front of you. Tighten your thigh muscles for a count of ten. Release them for a count of three. Repeat up to ten times in one session and build up to three or four repetitions of the exercise. Next, stretch your hamstrings, the muscles attached to the top of your shinbone just below the back of your knee, and run up the back of your thigh. These muscles bend the knee and help when you push against something. Lie on your back with your knees at a 45 degree angle and push your heels into the floor. Hold for ten seconds, then release for three seconds. Repeat ten times and build up to three or four repetitions of the same exercise.
2. Find exercises which minimize the impact on your knees and that are suited to you. If you are obese or disabled with knee joint degeneration, try an aquatic-based exercise such as swimming or aqua-aerobics. A study by Cadmus at the Department of Health Services found that normal or overweight people with knee problems did not benefit from aquatic exercise, but obese people did. Aerobic exercise, both low and high intensity, is beneficial if you have some degeneration of the knee joint already. Both high and low impact resistance training such as squats benefit the elderly, whereas high resistance activities benefit young subjects more, according to a study by the National Taiwan University and the National Taiwan University Hospital.
3. Tai Chi can be performed anywhere.
Vary your exercise routine to avoid working out the same muscles at each session, thus avoiding weakening your knee. Take up Tai Chi. A study by the Division of Rheumatology at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston showed Tai Chi reduced pain and improved level of functions in people with knee osteoarthritis. Include exercise in your everyday life, such as taking up gardening, walking rather than use the car or riding your bike to the shops.
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