Experiencing regular arthritis knee pain due to osteoarthritis, or arthritis from previous injuries. It is possible that you may have a different type of arthritis called rheumatoid arthritis and it too can be severely bothersome. Rheumatoid arthritis differs from osteoarthritis, so it is important that you don’t confuse them. Sometimes, arthritis can make your knee hurt to the point that you are unable to move it. The best way to improve knee pain is to keep moving and see a trained physical therapist who can help you strengthen your muscles so that you are able to walk.
However, if you exercise regularly, you may be able to improve the condition of your knees. According to a report by Arthritis Care and Research, patients with knee osteoarthritis can gain significant benefits when they start walking as much as possible. Walking is also a low-impact form of exercise that is easy on your joints. If it has been a while since you have exercised, it is best to warm up your joints by doing some simple stretches or knee exercises before you start walking. It will make walking a bit easier.
If you have any form of arthritis, walking or moving the affected joint may be a little uncomfortable at first. Nevertheless, with the constant movement, you will eventually feel better over time. Do remember to stop if you feel sharp pain or increased swelling.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the natural cushioning between joints and cartilage wears away. It is commonly known as wear and tear due to natural aging. But over time the wear and tear can lead to painful arthritis in your knee joints. When osteoarthritis happens, the bones in your joints start rubbing more closely against each other.
The cartilage prevents the bones from rubbing together and once it gets too thin it reduces the shock-absorbing benefits. Rubbing can cause swelling, stiffness, pain, decreased mobility, and it can cause bone spurs. There are several treatments that can help reduce the pain of osteoarthritis. And low-impact exercise, like walking, is helpful.
Restore Joint Stability
When you have osteoarthritis, you may experience intense arthritis knee pain. However, low-impact exercises like walking can help restore joint stability. Light exercise helps work the muscles around the knee joint. Working the muscles around your knee joint helps the muscles get stronger.
Stronger muscles provide more support to your joint. With new stem cell treatments, it is now possible to regenerate the cartilage in your knee. Cartilage acts similar to a sponge, and it moves with the body as you walk.
Improve Muscle Strength in Legs
Walking helps strengthen your leg muscles. Strong leg muscles stabilize your knee joint. In the long run, building your leg muscles can help reduce the pressure on your joints so that they can handle your body’s weight.
As your muscles get stronger, you should start seeing an improvement with your knee pain. If you don’t know what type of strength training to do for your knee pain, ask your doctor to set up a few sessions with a physical therapist to help you get started.
Lose Weight
Walking can help you lose weight. As you drop weight, your body no longer has to work as hard. Plus, losing even 5 to 10 pounds can greatly reduce the amount of pressure that is put on your knees when walking.
According to experts, for every pound you lose weight there is four times less pressure and stress on your knees. This makes a great difference especially if you have painful joints. Walking is a wonderful low-impact exercise that you can do to help you lose weight.
Understand Your Body Better
To stay healthy, you should walk at least 30 minutes of exercising 5 days a week. You do not have to do it all at once, especially if you are experiencing knee pain.
Try starting off with 5 or 10 minutes several times a day. Even walking for a short period of time will do wonders for your health. However, you should stop exercising immediately if you feel any of these symptoms:
• A sudden increase in swelling
• Feeling unstable, as if you are falling
• Sharp or severe pain
• Aches and pains that are higher than 4 to 5 on a scale of 1 to 10
Osteoporosis is a painful condition which may hinder you unable to move. However, it is important to consider that exercise is also critical in your road to recovery. Walking is the best low-impact exercise that you can do to help improve your condition.
