You might not think working out can bring pain relief, but it’s true. Just ask some of my clients in Stamford, CT, who do exercises for knee and joint relief a lot of reason for joint pain, but tow of them that area often at the top of the list include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. When you exercise the knees and other joints, it can strengthen the muscles that surround the joint, improve the range of motion and create stronger muscles to absorb shock and relive pain.
Start with a warm up like standing leg lifts.
Standing side leg lifts can help build your muscles and helps build the muscles in the hips and buttocks. Simply stand with one side against a wall, hands on your hips and feet together. Raise the outer leg up to the side, keeping your feet pointing forward and allowing the wall to help you maintain your balance. Lower the leg and repeat ten times building to twenty. Switch to the other side.
Work on your knees’ range of motion by stretching the quadriceps.
Take this stretching exercise easy when you start. Laying on your stomach with your left arm pointed straight ahead to support the body, bend the right knee so your lower leg is at a 90 degree angle to the floor. Grab your ankle with your right hand. Pull it gently until you feel the knee lift off the floor, feeling the muscle stretch as you do. Hold, then repeat a few times. Switch sides and lift your left side with the left hand.
A hamstring stretch can improve the range of motion of your knee.
There’s a lot of ways to do a hamstring stretch. You can do it lying on your back, with one knee bent. Grasp the calf with both hands and pull the leg toward you, still bent at a twenty degree angle. You’ll feel a stretch. Hold, then repeat. If it’s too hard to grab your leg, you can hook a towel behind your legs and pull with that. Another hamstring stretch is done when you’re seated. Loop a towel under one foot, holding an end in each hand. Pull as you slowly straighten the knee, as you raise the foot a few inches off the floor.
- Even walking daily can help relieve pain. It gets the fluid in the joints moving and increases the lubrication of the joint. Don’t try to do it all at once, build your time slowly and include other activities, such as cycling to build the muscles around the joints.
- Another simple exercise is to sit and stand. Sitting in a chair with your back straight and arms across your chest, stand up slowly, keeping your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Then sit down again.
- Keep it simple with a range of motion exercise. Lay on your back with knees bent. Wrap your arms around one leg and gently pull it toward you. Lower it and then do the other leg.
- If you have knee or joint problems, first check with your health care professional and once you have the okay, come in to Revolution Training for a personalized program that will help ease the pain and make movement easier.