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Exercise may be the best medicine for healthy joints.
“Regular exercise and movement can help people with osteoarthritis in many ways,” says Dr. Jeffrey Katz, professor of medicine and orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. “Besides helping with pain management, it can improve patients’ level of function and may delay the need for a joint replacement.”
Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, is a chronic and progressive disease characterized by loss of the cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones where they meet at a joint.
“The condition slowly wears away joint cartilage so that forces usually absorbed by the cartilage are transferred to bone, which has pain sensitive nerve fibers,” says Dr. Katz. “Cartilage breakdown can also lead to pain, swelling, inflammation and activity limitation.”
Regular, low-impact exercise can reduce knee pain, improve flexibility, and strengthen muscles supporting the joint in osteoarthritis.
Exercise cannot cure osteoarthritis, but it can reduce pain, improve joint function, and enhance quality of life. The main goals are to strengthen muscles around the knee, maintain flexibility, and support joint stability while avoiding excessive stress on the joint.
During flare ups, reducing the amount of exercises can be useful. If you experience any problems with exercises, please stop immediately and consult your Doctor or Physiotherapist.
