Arthrosis is an unpleasant disease, which is accompanied by pathological signs, imposes restrictions on the usual lifestyle, which negatively affects physical and sports activity, as well as nutrition. However, with the right approach, the listed restrictions can be reduced and even benefit the joints from them. Those suffering from arthrosis wonder: is it possible to fast with such a diagnosis?
It is impossible to die from joint disease, but the disease has serious consequences that can be avoided by exercising (in moderation). Before choosing the type and intensity of physical activity, check with your doctor for a diagnosis.
Gonarthrosis of the knee joint itself is considered a common form of arthrosis, which forces patients to give up an active lifestyle. People are afraid to put pressure on their sore knees because of the pain. However, most orthopedists do not share this approach, advising only to change the degree of load on the diseased joint. At the same time, doctors take into account the state of health and the stage of development of the disease. Strictly prohibited for arthrosis:
Meanwhile, hiking, skiing and regular visits to the pool can have a beneficial effect on the condition of articular cartilage in arthrosis. You can exercise in the gym only if the load is correctly calculated. For arthrosis, the following are allowed:
Exercise on an exercise bike is useful. Yoga also helps and will benefit:
Golf is useful, which simultaneously combines walking, bending and squatting, which helps restore normal joint mobility. With the right load, dancing classes will help.
Long walks on foot and on skis are useful (eliminate joint stiffness, increase range of motion). But overweight patients should reduce their duration: excess weight puts additional stress on the diseased joint, causing harm to the joint capsule. Also, you should not overload the body, as this will cause an exacerbation of the disease: the pain will return, due to which even simple movements will be impossible, not to mention serious physical exercise.
For grade 1 arthrosis, regular walking is recommended. In patients with excess body weight, the first priority is to change their diet.
The goal of playing sports for arthrosis is to activate joint mobility without pain. In this regard, swimming is considered the best option, since performing exercises in water is simplified. Swim in natural ponds or a pool. Through swimming exercises for arthrosis, it becomes possible to increase the range of motion of joints while simultaneously strengthening muscle tissue and ligaments.
In the presence of arthrosis of the 2nd degree of severity, sports are allowed subject to a competent approach to organizing the training process. If the body is hardened, continue hardening, but in a gentle manner.
You can get rid of arthrosis by pedaling. Exercising on an exercise bike or bicycle for arthrosis of the root joint strengthens:
Also, this activity will help cure arthrosis by improving the nutrition of tissue structures and blood circulation while simultaneously reducing swelling. A distinctive feature of modern exercise machines is the function of adjusting the load on the muscles by changing the resistance of the pedals, which makes the movements smooth and eliminates excessive tension.
Coxarthrosis is another common type of arthrosis that affects the hip joints with subsequent deformation.
With this disease, which occurs in the initial stages, physical exercises aimed at stimulating the diseased joint are required:
For late-stage coxarthrosis, hip exercises are prohibited. It is also forbidden to rotate the pelvis, which does not allow you to twist the hoop or pump your abs.
Another problem that women suffering from hip arthrosis may face is related to pregnancy. Women's complaints are associated with a feeling of aching bones and a simultaneous increase in pain, but these are typical symptoms that accompany every pregnancy. Temporary pain is associated with the expansion of the bones of the hip joint, which are preparing for the birth of the baby. However, there is a possibility of developing arthrosis, which, however, is not an obstacle to pregnancy, but identifying the disease in the early stages will allow you to avoid unpleasant consequences when the time comes to give birth.
Cold reduces pain and swelling of the diseased joint, unlike heat, which slows down metabolic processes and irritates the tissues of the joint capsule. Temporary cooling of the joint with arthrosis can provoke an increase in temperature, which occurs due to a reactive increase in local blood circulation.
Here are some recipes using cold for arthrosis:
For arthrosis of the hands, cold baths are an excellent solution. Before this, hands are placed in the water for 15 seconds. In this case, leisurely movements are made with the fingers. After this, the hands are dried and a 3-minute rest is waited. This cycle must be repeated 7 times. During this procedure, hypothermia should be avoided. You can also drip cool water onto sore joints.
In some cases, an allergy to cold is possible, which manifests itself in redness of the skin and increased pain. Cold therapy for arthrosis is contraindicated in the following cases:
Also, exposure to cold is undesirable for influenza and genitourinary diseases. It is worth remembering that you can harm your joints if they are deeply cooled for a long time.
It has been proven that the main enemy of the joint is excess weight. Even a slight decrease in body weight can significantly improve the condition of the entire joint system with arthrosis. To do this, a diet is prescribed, the purpose of which is to reduce excess weight while simultaneously providing the body with all the necessary nutrients. In the process of choosing a dietary diet, possible risks associated with causing even greater harm to joint health should be eliminated as much as possible. The topic of dietary nutrition for arthrosis must be discussed with the attending physician, during consultation with whom the presence of concomitant diseases can be additionally determined.
Here are the basic principles of proper and healthy dietary nutrition for arthrosis:
The most optimal diet is considered to be a diet in which carbohydrate components slightly predominate, and proteins and calcium are limited with frequent and large consumption of fruits and vegetables. You can also fast if you have arthrosis.
Arthrosis affects the joints, causes pain during movements and constrains them, so patients sharply exclude physical activity, considering sports a contraindication. But this is not true: completely eliminating physical activity from life is harmful even with diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Most patients are interested in the question: is it possible to run with arthrosis? Joint diseases are accompanied by destruction of cartilage and bone tissue and severe pain. But even in these cases, orthopedists recommend performing therapeutic physical exercises.
With age, the human body wears out, the first thing aging affects is the joints, which take on loads every day throughout life. Arthrosis is accompanied by the destruction of cartilage tissue. Since nutrients stop flowing to the cartilage and blood circulation is disrupted, degenerative processes begin to develop in the joint. However, the inflammatory process occurs not only in the cartilage; changes also occur in neighboring anatomical formations: capsule, ligaments, synovial membrane, periarticular muscles and bone structures.
Arthrosis is a common disease of the musculoskeletal system. The disease equally affects both men and women, sometimes manifesting itself in young people due to their lifestyle. Any joints of the human body are subject to degenerative changes: hands, first metatarsophalangeal, hip and knee. Often the disease develops in the lumbar and cervical spine.
The danger of the disease lies in the fact that if the inflammatory process is not treated on time, the patient’s future physical activity becomes impossible. People suffering from arthrosis become disabled; any movement is painful for them. Since the disease occurs in several stages, it is important not to miss the first signs of arthrosis and begin timely treatment. When precious time is lost, only surgery to replace the destroyed joint with an artificial one can help the patient.
Arthrosis develops with age, but sometimes its appearance is provoked by:
Attention! Athletes are at greatest risk of acquiring musculoskeletal diseases. Runners are more likely than others to experience problems with cartilage inflammation. Regular running increases the load on joints by 5 times.
Arthrosis occurs in several stages:
Obvious signs of the disease are pain, which at the initial stage appears rarely and passes after a short time, then the pain becomes constant, the crunching in the joint becomes more and more distinct. The sore limb reacts to changing weather conditions. As the disease progresses, the limb shortens, the patient suffers from severe pain, cannot move independently, and becomes disabled.
Treatment is prescribed to the patient only by a doctor. The orthopedist prescribes medications to relieve pain and inflammation, and chondroprotectors for the regeneration of cartilage and bone tissue. In addition, the patient is prescribed physiotherapy and special physical exercises (therapeutic exercise is allowed only after the pain has stopped and the inflammatory process has subsided).
Doctors recommend performing special physical exercises to maintain the tone of the muscles of the limbs and to improve blood circulation in the joints. However, not all sports are allowed. Running with arthrosis is allowed only in the early stages of the disease. If the inflammatory process is accompanied by severe pain and obvious changes in the limbs, running is prohibited. In any case, only the doctor decides what kind of sport a sick person can do: swimming, walking, gymnastics and running, among others.
Water sports are harmless and extremely beneficial for a sick patient. Water helps distribute the load on the joints evenly, thereby avoiding overstrain. Swimming helps relieve pain and relaxes muscles. You can perform simple physical exercises in water: walking along the bottom of a reservoir or pool, swinging your legs, and gentle stretching.
Most doctors recommend walking as a prevention of arthrosis and part of the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. While walking, the following changes occur in the affected joint:
With arthrosis of 2 and 3 degrees, you need to walk very carefully. You should not overload the joint for a long time; half an hour of training is enough.
Since a running person increases the load on the joints of the legs by 5 times, one must be careful when engaging in this sport. If the diseased joint is overloaded, this will provoke the rapid development of the disease (irreversible destruction of cartilage tissue). Only the attending physician can decide whether running is beneficial for a patient. In some uncomplicated cases, short-term jogging is indicated for the patient.
Avoid sports that involve running:
The treadmill should also be used with caution and only after permission from the podiatrist. It is best to use a leisurely walk on a treadmill; an electric exercise machine is best for this. A mechanical treadmill can increase the load on sore limbs.
It is considered an ideal sport for patients with arthrosis. Since all movements during yoga are performed smoothly, overload of the joints is completely eliminated. Yoga improves blood circulation in the limbs, relieves pain, and gives positive energy to the body. This sport is allowed at any stage of the disease.
Cycling is prohibited for patients, as the surface on which cycling will be carried out may have uneven surfaces. As a result, limb injury is possible. An alternative to cycling is an exercise bike, which will help avoid possible injuries and provide the same load as a bicycle. You just need to choose the exercise machine very carefully; the pedals should not spin tightly, otherwise this will lead to heavy stress on the legs.
Instead of using a machine, you can perform movements similar to riding a bicycle on your own. To do this, you need to take a lying position, bend your knees and make circular movements that imitate spinning the pedals of a bicycle.
For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, doctors do not recommend performing squats, but if the patient does not want to part with his favorite exercise, then in this case it is necessary to adhere to several rules:
Since squats can provoke arthrosis in a healthy person (if the exercise is performed incorrectly), you should not do it during illness. Otherwise, you can only accelerate the destruction of cartilage.
Arthrosis is a serious disease of the limbs; in order to prevent the development of complications, you must strictly follow all the doctor’s instructions. Sports activities should contain only permitted exercises; loads such as running are strictly contraindicated.
Today, cycling is becoming very popular. Most people believe that by pedaling for 15-20 minutes, you can easily lose weight and improve your health. But is an exercise bike useful for osteochondrosis?
If you have osteochondrosis, ride on smooth roads
In the case of osteochondrosis, we can rather talk about the indirect positive effect of cycling.
Based on the foregoing, we can conclude: with osteochondrosis, cycling can both have a positive effect and provoke an exacerbation. To improve the patient’s condition and prevent possible complications, it is recommended to follow some rules:
This bike is suitable for patients with osteochondrosis
Special models of exercise bikes have been developed for patients with osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine.
Special model of exercise bike
They contain a platform, a frame with a beam, and a lift. The difference from conventional models is the presence of an electric drive that produces forced rotation of the pedals. Due to the design features, free movement of the platform (the patient is positioned on it) along the guide beam is ensured. The beam is connected to a lift, through which the angle of inclination of the platform is adjusted. This allows you to change the load value. The creators of this model of exercise bike set themselves the task of maximizing its adaptation for the rehabilitation of people suffering from osteochondrosis and other pathologies of the spine.
Exercises on a therapeutic exercise bike allow you to:
Today we offer an article on the topic: “Exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joints: cycling and gymnastics.” We tried to describe everything clearly and in detail. If you have any questions, ask at the end of the article.
Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint is an integral part of the rehabilitation period; it will help relieve pain in the limb and allow you to quickly get back on your feet in the literal sense of the above. It is known that the condition of the knee joint with arthrosis is not the best, since it is subject to constant degenerative processes. As the cartilage deteriorates, irreparable changes occur in the bones, which cannot be eliminated with pills alone.
Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint will help maintain the normal state of the cartilage tissue, and will also restore full function of the knees and the person will be able to move as before. There are a huge variety of exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint, but the load is determined individually for each patient. Moderate physical activity helps restore normal blood circulation and stimulate metabolism in affected tissues.
As a result, physical exercises for arthrosis cause the bone beams to grow faster in problem areas, and the periosteum to strengthen and recover.
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Before starting exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint, you need to consider several important points, namely:
The intensity of recovery for grade 2 arthrosis of the knee joint depends on correctly selected exercises and the patient’s determination. The knee will return to normal faster if exercise therapy is combined with a course of physiotherapy, electrophoresis, mud therapy or hirudotherapy. Physical education for the knee joint is an indispensable assistant that has the following effects on the affected area:
Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis are beneficial if done regularly. In this case, the functions of the knee joint are quickly restored even with stage 2 disease. The disease will not go away without leaving a trace, but it will definitely not progress. The patient will not only avoid surgery or disability, but will also completely return to the usual rhythm of life.
Exercise therapy prevents the development of complications of arthrosis of the knee joint and helps restore joint activity, preventing further bone deformation. The therapeutic gymnastics program includes a whole range of classes. These are gymnastic tasks that are solved in different body positions, training on special simulators and in water, and rehabilitation courses.
For arthrosis of the knee joint, an exercise bike, hatha yoga, Pilates, and micromovement classes are useful. Only the loads should be minimal, under the supervision of an experienced instructor. It is easy to develop degrading knee muscles with the help of steppers, which are installed in orthopedic centers. The principle of their operation is an imitation of walking, in which, if necessary, additional load is applied.
Stretch your legs, bend your right knee, lift your right foot, hold your leg for 5-7 seconds, lower it to the starting position. Repeat the same with your left leg.
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For grade 2 knee arthrosis, exercise therapy in water is a complete replacement for therapeutic exercises. When using this unique development, the specific effects of the aquatic environment on the human body are taken into account, because hydrostatic pressure accelerates the flow of blood to the joints, improving metabolism. With arthrosis of the 2nd degree, exercises in the pool are recommended for those people who experience pain when doing exercise therapy under normal conditions. Here are some exercises:
Exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint has a number of contraindications that must be taken into account before starting training. Among the contraindications to physical activity are:
If you do not have the above contraindications, you can safely start exercising and rest assured that you will notice the results very quickly.
There are many types of gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint, but as mentioned above, the physical activity regimen should be selected depending on the age, gender, weight and condition of the patient. Exercises for older people and young patients will differ radically, although the symptoms of the disease and drug treatment will be identical. The classic exercise scheme for the knees is as follows:
Treatment for arthrosis can also be carried out using specialized techniques. Norbekov’s gymnastics performed very well. If there is arthrosis of the knee joints, a set of exercises according to Norbekov is aimed not only at strengthening bone tissue, but also at psychological training. They consist in realizing one’s superiority over the disease. You need to start treatment only in high spirits, with gratitude to yourself for taking care of your body. The set of exercises looks like this:
You can’t just stop after training and start doing your usual activities. You need to perform self-massage and relax tense leg muscles. To do this, sit on the floor, stretch your legs wide apart in front of you, place one hand above your knee, and with the other help you carry out rubbing movements that will come closer and closer to the knee. Massage the sides of the ankle and thigh. After training, you can use warming ointments; they need to be rubbed into the skin until completely absorbed. Massage your leg until you feel a pleasant warmth in your limbs, but not burning or pain.
When there is arthrosis of the knee joint, exercises should be performed regularly, without skipping a single day. Treatment and its results directly depend on the intensity of training.
The attending physician should first conduct a consultation for a patient whose knee is susceptible to gonarthrosis, and talk about the technique of increasing loads. Ideally, the first few sessions should be conducted in a medical facility so that the doctor can monitor the correct execution of the prescribed exercises.
Don’t panic if you have been diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint; therapeutic exercises will not only strengthen cartilage tissue, but will also help build muscle mass, which is an important point. Thanks to constant physical activity, blood circulation improves and motor function improves accordingly. There are a huge number of cases where active training and yoga for arthrosis completely restored the mobility of the knee joint, although doctors did not give encouraging prognoses. Any disease can be prevented by starting timely prevention. Young people are encouraged to play sports, no one talks about marathon races, light jogging and morning exercises are enough. As for older people, it is impossible to stop a number of degenerative age-related changes in the bones, but by carrying out light exercise, you can slow down the disease and relieve painful sensations in the joints.
It is also important not to self-medicate, since all methods must be prescribed by a doctor, otherwise you can only worsen the problem.
Osteoarthritis is the destruction of cartilage, the appearance of compensatory growths and compactions. At an early stage, displacement or convergence of bones connected by ligaments is detected. From this we can conclude that walking on knees is harmful at any stage of degeneration. Hypertonicity or hypotonia of the muscles that provide stability and function of the joint disrupt its dynamics.
O-shaped (varus) and X-shaped (valgus) positioning of the limbs increases the risk of osteoarthritis, increases medial and lateral bone friction, respectively, and accelerates the progression of the disease. If the angle of the pelvic-knee joint is less than 178 degrees, then varus is observed, and when it exceeds 182 degrees, valgus develops. Changes can be genetic, acquired or traumatic, but always increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
Jumping, running and arthrosis of the knee joint with severe degeneration are incompatible. They will not be beneficial for lower leg weakness and other muscle imbalances, even in painless stage 1.
Therefore, it is recommended to exclude any exercises related to running and jumping from your program.
Sergei Bubnovsky's exercises are based on increasing the space between the femur and tibia using traction and simultaneous strengthening of the muscle corset. Strength training machines are block mechanisms with cuffs attached to the limbs. A load that creates counteraction on the block by stretching reduces compression of the articular surfaces. Candidate of Medical Sciences Sergei Mikhailovich Bubnovsky has developed a method for treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system using strength programs.
Having survived hip replacement due to a severe injury in his youth, the professor rehabilitates people after reconstructive operations and helps avoid surgical intervention.
The question is asked by professional athletes who have been diagnosed with arthrosis.
The main source of muscle spasms that disrupt the balance of joint forces is the inability to relax.
Physical therapy for people who train intensively is aimed at:
For joint stabilization, therapeutic exercises with a rubber shock absorber are good: the loop clings to the support and at the level of the knee, and extension under resistance is suggested.
Exercise begins with walking on your heels. Single-legged squats are encouraged (only for trained athletes) to activate the stabilizing muscles. Walking in a half-squat with a rubber loop attached to your hips or good morning bends with an expander instead of a barbell. Such gymnastics for the legs strengthens the ligamentous apparatus.
Can an athlete run? In each specific case, the doctor and rehabilitation coach will tell you what kind of gymnastics a runner or football player needs and give certain recommendations, since it depends specifically on the physiological characteristics of the patient
To treat arthrosis of the knee joint with physical exercise, you need to know what caused the wear and tear. If there is a lack of mobility and poor muscle tone, it is necessary, according to the recommendations of Evdokimenko and Bubnovsky, to strengthen the muscles for blood supply to the cartilage. Physical education for arthrosis of the knee joint even includes squats, both static against the wall and regular ones with a small amplitude.
Kinesiologists are specialists who study muscle movement.
Sometimes the muscles simply stop working, which disrupts the biomechanics of walking and exercise technique, and then each step incorrectly loads the pelvis, knee or ankle. It all starts with a crunching sensation, a feeling of the limb not working properly, and the result is arthrosis.
When one muscle is turned off, the body literally rolls: forward, backward or to one side. The brain produces protective compensations - usually on the opposite side, below or above the “disabled muscle,” clamps appear to stop the so-called “fall.”
For example, when descending a step, the knee of the back leg looks straight and the foot is turned to the side; this is not natural.
An example of a retraining exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint is as follows:
place your foot on the step (toes up, heel down) and bend your knee, with an effort of will directing it towards the third toe, repeat regularly for two weeks.
Corrective and retraining exercises for the elderly and young from Egoscue are effective with regular exercise for 3-4 months:
A Vietnam veteran, he was paralyzed in the war, but did not give up, but began to fight his illness and look for options to restore his mobility. He succeeded and is now a successful doctor with his own clinic. He is also the author of Freedom from Pain.
An aerobic exercise machine for arthrosis of the knee joint helps to lose weight, which increases pressure on the limbs. To tone your buttocks and thighs, an exercise bike will not give the desired result. The solution is to squat against a wall and stretch. Yoga is suitable for balanced development and increased flexibility. A bicycle will be useful if the muscles of the front and back of the thigh are well stretched and there is no spasm in the iliopsoas region. Without restored
If the exercise bike causes pain, many people switch to the elliptical trainer. Although it is designed to relieve pressure on the joint with a low level of resistance, it exacerbates imbalances in the lumbar region.
Nordic walking is a type of health-improving aerobic training. Studies of knee flexion angles and compressive forces acting on the cartilage have shown that there is no difference from simple walking. Although there have been cases of relief when using sticks, which is associated primarily with the normalization of the motor pattern, the inclusion of the arms and back in the movement.
Walking for arthrosis of the knee joint is indeed a therapeutic measure, but only after corrective exercises.
on stairs beneficial ? If the foot and knee are unidirectional. Walking up the stairs can be a therapeutic method: the main thing is not to push your knee forward, but to rise using your buttocks.
Skiing remains the winter form of aerobic exercise for those suffering from osteoarthritis - in a classic, non-skating manner, choosing a prepared ski track.
The etiology of the disease includes the following main causes: hereditary predisposition at the gene level; old knee injuries; excess weight of a person, causing increased stress on the knee joint; excessive physical activity; metabolic disorders as a result of certain diseases, leading to intra-articular deposition of crystals (for example, uric acid); age factor associated with natural degenerative processes.
At present, it is not possible to completely cure gonarthrosis, but it is possible to stop tissue destruction and ensure a person’s full ability to work by using an integrated approach to treatment. The modern treatment regimen includes the following areas: wearing special knee braces to relieve stress from the medial areas; prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; diet aimed at losing weight; physical therapy, including a special set of exercises; taking muscle relaxants; physiotherapy; injection of hyaluronic acid to replace synovial fluid; use of chondroprotectors; prescribing medications to normalize blood supply and improve blood rheology; PRP technique based on the introduction of a drug to restore cartilage tissue; surgical treatment if necessary (arthroscopy and joint replacement).
The most important element of treatment is physical exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint, incl. special exercises for older people with arthrosis.
All therapeutic exercise regimens include basic rules that prevent overload and ensure maximum effectiveness, but the main rule is do no harm:
Exercise therapy for gonarthrosis includes both very simple and more complex exercises, depending on the severity of the joint damage.
They are carried out from different starting positions (IP): lying, sitting and standing; Moreover, in the lying position on the bed there can be IP on the side, back or stomach.
Exercises in a lying position. The most common are exercise therapy exercises performed while lying on your back:
While lying on your side, exercises are performed first on the left and then on the right:
It is recommended to do the following exercises while lying on your stomach:
Exercises in a sitting position (sitting on a chair). You can suggest the following exercises (IP - back straight, arms resting on a chair):
Exercises in a standing position are carried out using support on the back of a chair or table. The most frequently performed movements are:
Exercises according to the Hatha Yoga system. For gonarthrosis, several exercises included in the Hatha Yoga exercise complex are recommended:
Physical exercises should be combined with walks in the fresh air, swimming, bathing procedures, solarium, and also combined with physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic massage. Be healthy!
As mentioned above, the final stage of each set of exercises should be a massage. It helps to activate blood flow in the area of the knee joints and accelerate the processes of regeneration of articular cartilage. Ideally, massage should be performed after taking a warm, relaxing bath or visiting a sauna.
The intensity of the effects directly depends on the individual sensitivity of the tissues (you should not experience pain).
You can ask someone from your family to give you a massage, or you can do it yourself, based on the following recommendations:
In the treatment of osteoarthritis, exercise therapy can be combined with other physiotherapy techniques. Electrophoresis, ultrasound radiation, laser and other types of phototherapy work best on joints affected by this disease. Among non-traditional treatment methods, experts recommend hatha yoga.
For a number of diseases, physiotherapy is contraindicated, as it can harm the patient’s health. Such diseases are:
In conclusion of the article, we would like to repeat: despite the fact that osteoarthritis is a steadily progressing degenerative disease of articular cartilage, adequate complex therapy will help to significantly slow down the rate of its development, one of the leading places in which is physical therapy, or exercise therapy. By doing the exercises regularly, day after day, while simultaneously following other treatment recommendations, you will probably soon feel the results.
The complexes described below are suitable for people of all ages. The exercises are aimed at solving three problems:
They can be performed both at home and in small groups of 3-6 people. It is best to do these complexes under the supervision of an experienced physical therapy doctor.
All three complexes are ideal for implementation, both in the remission phase and in the exacerbation phase. These are the simplest gymnastics exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint. However, simplicity does not make them worse.
The exercises described below are only suitable for people whose arthrosis is in remission.
1) Sit on a chair. Alternately raise your left and right legs, alternating movements.
2) Stand up. Lean on the back of a chair. On the count of “one,” rise with one foot on your toes. The second remains pressed to the floor. Then roll over to the other leg and do the same.
3) While sitting on a chair, perform a light massage of the knees using rotational movements.
It is advisable to perform the exercises of these two complexes at the same time. This way the effect of gymnastics will be maximum.
On the Internet there is a description of many gymnastics complexes for arthrosis of the knee joint. But it is not always clear how to implement them. There are a number of recommendations:
Exercise therapy can be an excellent assistant in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. It is important to approach such a responsible matter correctly.
The main objectives of physical therapy (PT) are to reduce pain and eliminate the symptoms of grade 2 arthrosis of the knee joint. The gymnastic complex improves a person’s general condition, strengthens bones and the cardiovascular system. The main criterion for performing gymnastics for knee arthrosis is coordination of a set of exercises with an experienced instructor or attending rheumatologist.
What are the benefits of physical therapy
The intensity of recovery for grade 2 arthrosis of the knee joint depends on correctly selected exercises and the patient’s determination. The knee will return to normal faster if exercise therapy is combined with a course of physiotherapy, electrophoresis, mud therapy or hirudotherapy. Physical education is an indispensable assistant that has the following effects on the affected area:
Rules for performing exercise therapy
When performing physical therapy for grade 2 arthrosis (gonarthrosis), you must adhere to the rules that will make exercise therapy a pleasant, effective, safe procedure for you:
Exercise therapy prevents the development of complications of arthrosis and helps restore joint activity, preventing further bone deformation. The therapeutic gymnastics program includes a whole range of classes. These are gymnastic tasks that are solved in different body positions, training on special simulators and in water, and rehabilitation courses.
For gonarthrosis, an exercise bike, hatha yoga, Pilates, and micromovement classes are useful. Only the loads should be minimal, under the supervision of an experienced instructor. It is easy to develop degrading knee muscles with the help of steppers, which are installed in orthopedic centers. The principle of their operation is an imitation of walking, in which, if necessary, additional load is applied.
Exercise therapy in water is a complete replacement for therapeutic exercises. When using this unique development, the specific effects of the aquatic environment on the human body are taken into account, because hydrostatic pressure accelerates the flow of blood to the joints, improving metabolism. Classes in the pool are recommended for those people who experience pain when doing exercise therapy under normal conditions. Here are some exercises:
Exercise therapy for knee arthrosis should be carried out strictly during the period of remission. If the patient has an exacerbation of the disease, then any load on the knee should be abandoned. Therapeutic gymnastics also has contraindications:
In addition to contraindications, any movements that cause sharp pain are prohibited, therefore, with knee arthrosis, it is forbidden to squat vigorously, walk a lot, perform jerky exercises and apply great effort to them. If, during exercise therapy, the patient has aggravated any chronic disease, then it is worth refusing to perform gymnastics for at least a week.
Video lessons of therapeutic exercises
Exercise therapy helps to increase the effectiveness of treatment of the disease. But what should those who do not have the opportunity to visit swimming pools, rehabilitation centers, or work with a personal trainer do? Take advantage of the selection of several video lessons below, which you can download to your computer, and then practice them professionally at home. Just be sure to monitor the physical condition of your knee; if there is the slightest pain during the exercise, give it up immediately.
How to relieve pain in the knee joints - Muslim Jamaldinov
Osteoarthritis of the knee occurs during prolonged heavy physical activity, from excess weight, or after serious knee injuries. To eliminate pain, you need to completely change your lifestyle: stick to a salt-free diet, lose extra pounds, give up heavy physical labor, and regularly do therapeutic exercises. Watch the video in which the head of the sports rehabilitation department, M. R. Jamaldinov, shows a course of exercises that relieve pain:
Exercises by Sergei Bubnovsky
Among the leading Russian specialists who successfully treat grade 2 knee arthrosis, Dr. Sergei Mikhailovich Bubnovsky stands out. The “highlight” of his therapeutic exercises is walking on his knees, which patients may find painful. But with such therapy, there is also protection - a homemade knee pad, for the manufacture of which crushed ice should be poured into dense fabric. The doctor has other unique techniques. Watch the video showing Bubnovsky’s gymnastics:
Healing gymnastics by Dr. Evdokimenko
The famous rheumatologist Pavel Valerievich Evdokimenko knows everything about the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. He has written more than 10 books dedicated to this common disease, and their circulation has already exceeded half a million. The doctor offers everyone his own gymnastics complex, which he created as a result of successful many years of practice. Watch the video showing gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint according to Evdokimenko:
Feedback on the results
Olga, 52 years old: My knee joints hurt so much that I couldn’t walk up the stairs and generally had difficulty moving. The doctor advised me to treat the disease by walking on my knees. At first I could only take 3-4 steps - it was excruciatingly painful, but gradually the painful sensations disappeared, and now I can take up to 400 steps. I forgot about joint pain.
Oleg, 43 years old: Developed arthrosis of the knee joint while working in a mine. In addition to medications, the doctor prescribed a course of physical therapy in water. At first I was skeptical about this procedure, but my attitude changed after the first visit, because immediately after the pool the pain began to subside.
Natalia, 64 years old: She treated arthrosis at home on her own with folk recipes, but significant improvement came only after she started doing simple gymnastics for the knee joints. I found them on the Internet and practiced for 30 minutes every day: I simply raised and bent my legs, lying on my back. The pain went away after just a week of regular exercise.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joints causes a lot of inconvenience to the sick person, in addition to pain. In the acute and remission stages, the disease significantly limits the mobility of the limb. This is due, first of all, to the often increased weight of a person, which increases the load on the joint capsule, and to psychological problems, when a person is afraid of causing himself pain by unnecessary movements.
In the acute stage, drug treatment of the knee joints is prescribed in combination with light physical activity that is accessible to the patient. In the remission stage, physical therapy is prescribed. Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint is one of the types of effective treatment prescribed by a doctor to alleviate the patient’s condition. At the same time, the methods for conducting classes in the acute stage and in the remission stage will be different. A set of physical exercises is carried out not only for the affected joint, but also for the healthy knee, since additional physical stress is placed on it.
A complex of exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joints is selected by a specialist in physical therapy, depending on the stage and severity of the disease. Therapeutic exercises aimed at treating arthrosis of the knee joints are designed to solve a number of problems:
For arthrosis of the knee joint, physical exercises are prescribed, the implementation of which requires a responsible and systematic approach, primarily from the patient himself. It is best to conduct the first classes under the strict guidance of a medical specialist. If you perform the exercises correctly, in the future you can perform the entire complex of physical education at home. When treating a knee joint, there are a number of features that should be taken into account when carrying out a complex of exercise therapy prescribed by a doctor.
Visits to the pool will be very effective in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. Water relieves excess stress on the joint and allows you to enhance the effect of the exercises.
A complex of exercise therapy is developed by a doctor in each specific case. If it is not possible to go to a doctor so that he can develop an individual training system, you can find a video with detailed recommendations. The video with instructions from professional trainers and doctors will tell you in detail about the system of applying and performing certain tasks. In general, we can distinguish the main groups of simple exercises aimed at improving the condition of knee arthrosis.
It should be remembered that all exercises are performed at a slow pace according to the strength and physical fitness of the person. Excessive strain on muscles and joints has no less negative consequences than a complete lack of physical activity.
The basis for the effectiveness of any workout is the systematic and regular performance of all exercises and increasing the load as certain muscle groups adapt to given movements.
Some years ago, osteoarthritis (arthritis) was treated by resting and immobilizing the affected joint. But recently, the opinion of doctors has changed - since with arthrosis a vicious circle occurs like - “a person does not move because it hurts and loses the ability to move due to the fact that he does not move,” it was concluded that in order not to become a disabled person needs to move.
By maintaining physical activity, a person with arthrosis strengthens his muscles, thereby preventing the diseased joints from completely immobilizing.
Of course, this is physical therapy for the spine, and not the kind of activity that a healthy 30-year-old guy working out in the gym can boast of. On the contrary, some exercises are strictly prohibited for patients with arthrosis, as they will only make things worse. Such exercises are:
The best option is when a complex of therapeutic exercises for a person with arthrosis is selected individually by a physiotherapist. The selected complex should contribute to:
The most accessible and at the same time effective cardiovascular exercises for people with arthrosis are:
Not only does brisk walking strengthen your leg muscles, making you more mobile and helping to reduce joint pain, it also strengthens your heart muscle, which is important for anyone over 40.
Cycling is good for strengthening the ankle, knee and hip joints. If it is not possible to ride a regular bicycle due to some circumstances, then you can spin the “bicycle” in the air while lying on the floor.
Swimming is always good for everyone. In water, joints work softer and more painlessly, since in an aquatic environment there is practically no load from the weight of the body. However, you should know that swimming pools in which the water is heated are suitable for patients with arthrosis.
The disadvantage of swimming is that if the patient experiences bone loss, water procedures, unlike the above exercises, do not prevent this. That's why -
Swimming alone cannot stop the development of arthrosis.
Many people believe that if you have arthrosis, “swinging” is prohibited - this is a mistaken opinion.
Weight lifting exercises strengthen the muscles around your joints, taking pressure off them and making them less painful.
Research shows that strength training with weights on a leg with a sore knee joint significantly strengthens the knee. At the same time, pain decreases and joint mobility increases. In addition, such training reduces the risk of falls, and this often happens to people suffering from arthrosis.
And of course, yoga and tai chi are the most gentle types of physical therapy, which nevertheless perfectly strengthen muscles.
There are a number of specific exercises designed to increase flexibility and range of motion in the knees and hips. They can be performed either in the pool or on a mat spread on the floor. Do everything without tension, carefully, slowly. You can start with 2 times a week, gradually increasing the frequency of training to daily. Each movement can be repeated 2 times at first, but ideally 8 times.
So, by the end of the first month of training, the following set of exercises should be performed daily, and each movement of the complex should be performed 8 times on one leg and 8 times on the other leg.
This exercise can be performed with resistance, but it must be done on a machine. Some “savvy” people tie dumbbells to their ankles, trying to imitate the exercise machine. Doing this is strictly prohibited, since the weight tied to the leg is not able to evenly distribute the load on the leg, which will not lead to a cure, but to an exacerbation of arthrosis. If there is no special simulator nearby, then it is better to perform this exercise as usual, without weights.