Even though osteoarthritis can be very painful, exercise is important to do, says the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Knee-strengthening exercises for osteoarthritis are essential for keeping your knee-supporting muscles strong and improving your range of motion. You need to do your exercises diligently to reap the best results. Start slowly and gradually increase your intensity and duration. Check with your doctor prior to starting any exercise routine.
Quadriceps Leg Lift
You need to strengthen your thigh muscles, also known as quadriceps, when you have knee osteoarthritis. Strengthening your quadriceps can help to improve both the circulation to your knee joint and your muscle’s lubricating properties say BigKneePain.com and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. To do this, you can do a quadriceps leg lift. Lie flat on your back, and bend your left knee to a 90-degree ankle. Make certain your foot is flat on the floor, and keep your right leg straight. Tighten your stomach muscles, then slowly lift your right leg as high as possible. Try to get it to reach the height of your bent left knee. Hold this position for three seconds, and then slowly lower your leg to the surface. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Switch sides and repeat the maneuver another 10 times. As you progress, you can increase your repetitions. Do not lift both of your legs at the same time.
Isometrics
Doing a backward swing will strengthen your butt muscles, otherwise known as glutes. Stand up and hold onto the back of a chair for support, says bigkneepain.com. Swing your leg back at a diagonal until you notice your butt muscles tightening. Tighten your butt muscles as much as you can, then swing your leg back a few more inches. Hold this position for five seconds. Return your leg to the floor. Repeat this exercise 10 times with each leg.
You can strengthen your thigh muscles by doing a quadriceps tensing. While sitting in a chair or lying down, tighten your thigh muscles. Try to raise your heel, says the physical therapy site known as thephysiotherapysite.co.uk. Hold your contraction for five seconds. Release the tension and relax for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise five times. You can either tighten one thigh muscle at a time or both, depending upon your situation.
Chair Pull
Doing a chair pull will strengthen your hamstrings, says nismat.org. Sit in a chair that has wheels, such as an office chair. Place your injured leg out front, with your heel on the floor. Your other leg will be off the floor, preferably on your chair’s other leg. Gently begin to pull yourself around the room. You will feel the back of your knee and thigh working.
Water Exercises
Doing exercises in water is very beneficial for arthritis patients, states the University of Washington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Warm water helps your joints move easier and relaxes your muscles. You can get into waist-deep water and walk around the pool’s perimeter to get your knee-strengthening exercise for osteoarthritis. Or, try swimming laps. You can also join a water aerobics class with others going through the same thing.
About this Author
Crystal Welch has a 30-year writing history. Her more than 2,000 published works have been included in the health and fitness-related Wellness Directory, Earthdance Press and Higher Source. She is an award-winning writer who teaches whole foods cooking and has written a cookbook series. She operates an HON-code-certified health-related blog with more than 95,000 readers. Welch has a B.B.A. from Eastern Michigan University.
