As we age, joint pain is inevitable to some extent. Certain factors that cause joint pain (such as old injuries, osteoarthritis, and ageing) cannot be cured. these are the 7 best exercise for joint pain
Changing, modifying, or reversing other factors such as repetitive movements, poor posture, and a lack of exercise can help reduce joint pain.
When your joints are stiff and sore, the thought of running around a block or swimming a few laps can be overwhelming. You don’t have to run a marathon or swim miles.
The best exercise depends on the type of arthritis and the joints in which it occurs. Before knowing about some of the best exercises for joint pain, let’s first learn about their causes.
why it is needed
Exercise that doesn’t damage joints and create joint pain can enhance fitness and health. When exercise is included in a therapeutic programme, it can improve the quality of life.
Additionally, it can bolster the muscles surrounding your joints. aid in maintaining bone strength. Boost your energy. Facilitate restful slumber. and aid in weight control. Boost your equilibrium.
Boost your mood. Strong muscles are necessary to support bones. Less exercise results in weakened supporting muscles. Joints are under higher stress when muscles are weak.
Consult your healthcare provider initially. Discuss with your healthcare physician the possibility of including exercise in your regimen. The kind of arthritis and the joints affected by it determine the best workouts. Hence, exercise is good for joint pain.
Causes of knee pain
Common causes include injury, arthrosis (inflammation of the joints), and a torn meniscus. Knee arthritis symptoms increase with age after age 45, says Kari Orlandi, a physical therapist and director of outpatient rehabilitation and sports therapy surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in the Eastern Region.
You must be aware of the cause of joint pain before knowing the best exercise for joint pain.
Stewart says some knee pain goes away on its own within a few weeks as activity levels decrease. “But if symptoms don’t improve, you may want to get tested.” Your GP, orthopaedic surgeon, physical therapist (specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation), or sports medicine doctor are good options.
It’s the first step. Treatment depends on the cause of the pain, but most knee pain responds well to physical therapy and an exercise program at home for joint pain, he says.
Things to remember in Best exercise for joint pain
Walking
- It’s nearly impossible to go through a day without walking, but not walking enough can lead to joint pain.
- Not walking means sitting too much, which can lead to back and hip pain.
- If you don’t walk a lot, don’t start with him walking a mile on the first day.
- Increase your steps slowly throughout the day. Do not sit for long periods.
Household chores
- Everyday activities such as raking, mowing the lawn, vacuuming and pulling weeds can help reduce joint pain. These are simple, common and Best exercise for joint pain.
- If you also suffer from knee pain, kneeling in the garden may not be an option.Therefore, try to do your gardening on stilts without kneeling or bending too much.
- Routine tasks like weeding, vacuuming, mowing the grass, and raking can relieve joint pain. These daily tasks necessitate power, quickness, and a range of motions that can build up and stretch the tissues that support the joints, thereby reducing joint discomfort.
- Because it demands a lot of manual dexterity, gardening is another pastime that can be particularly helpful for those with hand arthritis. Should you experience knee pain as well, planting in an elevated garden bed can be your best option to prevent kneeling and excessive leaning over.
- There are different stretches you can do while sitting or standing to target each muscle group. Hence, for a joint pain you must do exercise.
Core workout
Pilates
Pilates focuses on developing core strength in the abdomen, hips, and lower back. Since Pilates postures and movements use the arms and legs to control the core muscles, the extremities also benefit from Pilates exercises. And reduce joint pain.
Pilates, like Tai Chi and yoga, works well for common movement patterns.
If possible, those new to Pilates should start slowly and seek guidance from a certified trainer. Pilates is the best exercise for joint pain.
Stretching
The ideal stretching program varies from person to person, depending on the joints and conditions affected.
Stretching typically involves slow, gentle movements of the knee, hand, and elbow joints. Stretching is the Best exercise for joint pain.
A typical stretching routine consists of: Warm up by pumping your arms as you walk, sit or stand in place for 3-5 minutes. For each stretch, he holds for 20-30 seconds and then releases.
Stretching: Stretching improves range of motion, adaptability, and movement, all of which assist reduce joint discomfort by easing muscle soreness and tightness.
Although there is some disagreement regarding the health benefits of stretching before or after physical activity, stretching is not necessary when you are about to work out.
It’s important to incorporate stretching into your daily routine, particularly as you become older. You can stretch to work all of the muscles in your body from a sitting or standing position. Consult your physician about beneficial stretches.
Repeat each stretch two to three times.
Tai chi
Increase flexibility, balance and range of motion while reducing stress.
You can find free videos and apps online for Tai Chi and yoga workouts (including yoga workouts specifically for RA patients).
Tai chi is a well-known and Best exercise for joint pain.
Yoga
It provides a low-impact workout that enhances endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, & versatility in motion. Yoga enhances positional body awareness by combining physical postures and stretches with breathing techniques and meditation sessions.
Balance can be significantly improved by combining body awareness, enhanced flexibility, and stronger muscles. Yoga is a terrific workout to advance with as your fitness regimen does, with courses available for both novices and specialists.
Water exercise and cycling
Exercise in water doesn’t put a lot of stress on your joints because water minimizes gravity and helps support your weight.
The advantage of a stationary bike is that you can exercise in a controlled environment, with supervision if needed.
Elliptical machine
Cross trainers are considered a gentle alternative to running or jogging and are specifically designed to protect your joints. It has a gentle rhythm and is soothing for painful joints, says Dr.Gibson.
As with any new form of exercise, start slow with your elliptical trainer.
Strength training
Strength training can be very helpful in increasing the capacity of the muscles around the joints to make them more effective at protecting the joints,” says Kirsch.
Avoid certain things
Avoid strenuous exercise. For joint pain, low-impact exercise works best.
“If you’re having sharp pain, pain that’s preventing you from bearing weight, or your chronic baseline pain increases significantly, those are times when you want to at least get evaluated.”
It can be a tough mental hurdle to lace up your shoes and get moving, knowing you may feel some discomfort if you live with joint pain.
Exercise, no matter what kind you can tolerate, is going to be way better for you than being afraid to because of minor aches and pains that come from knee hip or other joint problems.
Whether you’re living with joint pain now or not, any exercise is better than no exercise.
Water Aerobics
Because the water displaces the weight of the participant, aquatic aerobics is beneficial and includes many of the more strenuous movements seen in a regular aerobics class. Exercises done in water that was chest- have a 75% lower joint impact than equivalent exercises done on land.
Because of the water resistance, water aerobics also provides the extra advantage of conditioning through standard motions.
- Since water aerobics only involves chest-deep swimming, you don’t need to be an exceptional swimmer to participate; however, deep water acrobatics are available for more experienced swimmers.
- Swimming: Although lap swimming does need for advanced swimming skills, it’s a great low-impact workout that will increase your strength, and adaptability.
Consistency is must
You have to keep moving,” says Bert Mandelbaum, M.D., a sports medicine physician and orthopaedic surgeon at Cedars Sinai Kerlan Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.
Consistency is a must to get the results of the Best exercise for joint pain.
“Exercise is the lotion for your joint pain.” So the more joints move, the more synovial fluid is produced. We need this natural lubrication to be healthy and functional (and ultimately to reduce pain). Of course, some exercises are more effective for joint pain than others.
For example, long jogging can only wear out your joints.
Best exercises Quad set
The quadriceps set, or total knee extension (TKE), is a great way to improve your quadriceps engagement, which can stall after injury or surgery,” said CSCS, founder of Roebuck Solutions. Quad set is the most common and Best exercise for joint pain.
- said Carlos Teasdale “I use quad sets for people recovering from surgery and major knee injuries.” Teasdale explains that quad sets can help you regain full knee mobility, but some guidelines apply.
- Start slowly and don’t overdo it until your muscles fatigue. “When you try to actively engage your quadriceps to fully extend your knee, you never exceed the natural range of motion that your abilities allow,”
Squat
The quadriceps pose (quad set) is a popular exercise for increasing knee extension. The squat is the most effective and Best exercise for joint pain.
A dynamic strength training exercise, the squat requires multiple upper and lower body muscles to work simultaneously.
“The patient lies on their back and sits in a chair (heels on the floor) or with their knees extended (or flexed a few degrees) for long periods, but not hyperextended”.
Have the patient contract the quadriceps isometrically and allow the patella to slide proximally. Then press and hold 10 to repeat the process.
This exercise is sometimes called a quadriceps strengthening exercise or SQE (static quadriceps exercise).
In this action, you’re “squeezing” your quadriceps by squeezing them tight.
Give verbal cues if the patient or athlete does not understand the correct method.
Try pushing your knees back and squeezing your hamstrings.” OR “Try squeezing your hamstrings and lifting your kneecaps.
Weight-bearing exercise
Exercises that develop muscle utilising free weights, devices, or resistance bands are referred to as weight bearing exercises. To avoid overstressing the joints, start off slowly with moderate resistance or low weight.
When engaging in weight-bearing movement, joint soreness is a good sign that you should reduce the weight. It is also the best exercise to reduce joint pain.
- Start out softly and increase the intensity little by bit after you’ve found the correct weight. To prevent overuse injuries and to build strength in every muscle area, you should focus on different muscle parts.
- For every exercise, perform a couple of sets of eight to twelve recurrence on average twice or three times a week.
walking
Merely continuing to be active can significantly reduce joint discomfort and the symptoms of arthritis. These basic workouts will help you get going and get you started! Without moving at all, it is practically impossible to make it through the day, yet too little moving can aggravate joint pain.
Stepping indicates that you are getting too much sitting done, which might cause hip as well as lower back pain. Do not walk one mile on your first day if you don’t exercise much.
“As the time goes on, gradually raise your step count. Avoid spending extended periods of time sitting still without taking short breaks to stand up and move around. This exercise will help you to reduce your joint pain.”
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Sunit PhysioTherapist
