Excerise ideas for severe arthritic knees

tweetiepolarbear

Looking to see if I can find similar excerises that you can do with out getting on the floor to do em. Example crunches, push ups etc

mikevfr

I would suggest you try and strengthen the posterior chain (glutes, hamstings, calf) as well as your quads and knee area.

Things like; box step ups, wall squats, deadlifts, step back lunges, regular lunges (these are harder on your knee than step backs); hamstring curl machine, leg extension machine, calf raises, leg press, step machine, walking up regular flights of stairs, walking in general.

My advice is to focus on building solid legs overall. Do not battle through pain - but accept there will be discomfort in order to build muscle.

Fuzzipeg

I was looking for the self same thing last night. I found a sheet on the, Arthritis UK site, I'm UK. It suggested leg swings. standing from sitting without using hands to help you up. even some floor exercises. Please try your own search. (not sure I'll get down to the floor, let alone back up, just yet, giggle)

all the best

MissyCHF

Fuzzipeg wrote: »

I was looking for the self same thing last night. I found a sheet on the, Arthritis UK site, I'm UK. It suggested leg swings. standing from sitting without using hands to help you up. even some floor exercises. Please try your own search. (not sure I'll get down to the floor, let alone back up, just yet, giggle)

all the best

I do the floor exercises on my bed. I also do the hip exercises because I need new hips joints.

Fuzzipeg

I like that, floor exercise on the bed. thank you, nothing like as far to get down! Strengthening all joints is good.

Also the shoes I was wearing were rather old! sad to say fairwell to well loved friends.

lorrpb

I saw something recently about "standing ab exercises". You could search on MFP and google. Pool exercise is ideal for arthritis.

Mithridites

+1 on the pool exercise idea above
Aquafit might be a good fit for you (please excuse the pun)

middlehaitch

Just got to pop in and endorse the aqua fit both @lorrpb and @Mithridites suggested.

I don't have arthritis, but after doing aqua fit on and off for nearly 10yr (it was the first exercise I ever did), I have a number of arthritic friends that have really improved their hips, knees and overall fitness level by doing aqua fit 2-3 times a week.

It is an excellent way to improve mobility, balance, endurance, flexibility, and the resistance of the water makes it low impact, but also helps strengthen muscles and joints.

Cheers, h.

fittocycle

Riding a bike (indoors or outdoors) is great for strengthening the muscles around the knees as well moving the knee joint.

Maxxitt

mikevfr wrote: »

I would suggest you try and strengthen the posterior chain (glutes, hamstings, calf) as well as your quads and knee area.

Things like; box step ups, wall squats, deadlifts, step back lunges, regular lunges (these are harder on your knee than step backs); hamstring curl machine, leg extension machine, calf raises, leg press, step machine, walking up regular flights of stairs, walking in general.

My advice is to focus on building solid legs overall. Do not battle through pain - but accept there will be discomfort in order to build muscle.

Many of those exercises are death on severely arthritic knees, OP (box step ups are too high, for example). But the idea of strengthening posterior chain and quads is important. If you can consult a movement specialist/PT/physiatrist that would be very helpful to you, especially at the beginning where you don't want to aggravate your arthritis. My rule of thumb with my knees is that no exercise should hurt my knees while doing it worse than my normal daily activities, and that typically my joint pain is eased with movement although muscles can be sore.

mikevfr

You can step up on a small pad or Reebok Step on low. Doesn't have to be 90 degrees to qualify!

I have big knee issues and have resolved a lot of my pain with the above strategy.

GottaBurnEmAll

mikevfr wrote: »

You can step up on a small pad or Reebok Step on low. Doesn't have to be 90 degrees to qualify!

I have big knee issues and have resolved a lot of my pain with the above strategy.

I agree with a lot of your generalized advice on the idea of overall strengthening of the posterior chain (I have really bad knees), but I can't do lunges to save my life because they are too painful and box step ups are definitely too high.

Saying that? I've gone from walking with a cane to running thanks to squats, deadlifts, leg presses and yes, lots of walking.

I think the OP needs individualized advice for her particular situation because having read a lot of these threads, I get the impression that arthritis affects people different people differently (bicycles are a no-go for me, for example, and a lot of people with bad knees do really well with them).

I agree with the suggest to see a physio/PT/movement specialist for a consult.

mikevfr

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

mikevfr wrote: »

You can step up on a small pad or Reebok Step on low. Doesn't have to be 90 degrees to qualify!

I have big knee issues and have resolved a lot of my pain with the above strategy.

I agree with a lot of your generalized advice on the idea of overall strengthening of the posterior chain (I have really bad knees), but I can't do lunges to save my life because they are too painful and box step ups are definitely too high.

Saying that? I've gone from walking with a cane to running thanks to squats, deadlifts, leg presses and yes, lots of walking.

I think the OP needs individualized advice for her particular situation because having read a lot of these threads, I get the impression that arthritis affects people different people differently (bicycles are a no-go for me, for example, and a lot of people with bad knees do really well with them).

I agree with the suggest to see a physio/PT/movement specialist for a consult.

Great advice

manderson27

A lot depends on what kind of Arthritis you have. Have you had it diagnosed?

I have Osteoarthritis which is the best kind (of a bad bunch) because it responds well to Meds combined with excercise.

Walking, resistance using weights to strengthen muscles surrounding knees like another poster advised, cycling and aqua all good. But anything high impact is to be avoided.

Like one of the above posters I do a lot of floor excercise on the bed before I get up in the morning as getting up and down on the floor is difficult.

If is any comfort my Arthritis has improved immensely since I retired and took up walking and cycling. Gently does it but be persistent. Bad days I take my meds and rest, good days I can skip the meds and walk or cycle for miles.

OH big tip for walking get some hiking poles these really do help to take the strain off your knees. I can't tell you what a huge difference they make.

Skipjack66

mikevfr wrote: »

I would suggest you try and strengthen the posterior chain (glutes, hamstings, calf) as well as your quads and knee area.

Things like; box step ups, wall squats, deadlifts, step back lunges, regular lunges (these are harder on your knee than step backs); hamstring curl machine, leg extension machine, calf raises, leg press, step machine, walking up regular flights of stairs, walking in general.

My advice is to focus on building solid legs overall. Do not battle through pain - but accept there will be discomfort in order to build muscle.

Osteoarthritis of a joint is graded from one to four, from mild to moderate severity. Treatment varies depending upon what stage you are in. Stages are diagnosed by using radiography (X-ray, CT scan, MRI) and are assigned based upon space between a joint, osteophyte formation and deformation of the joint. Severe arthritis is stage four, and is equivalent of bone on bone with no joint space. People with stage four OA of the knee have a very difficult time moving about and doing exercises like the above are near impossible at this point. Many have lost range of motion and cannot straighten or bend the knee very well. Most will go on to have a knee replacement surgery.

It's important to have your knee diagnosed properly so that you understand what is safe for your knees and how to prevent progression of the condition. Exercise combined with weight loss is definitely a good treatment and preventative for OA of the knee, but it needs to be tailored to the individual - including taking into account someone's size and weight, level of inflammation present, functional ability, pain and overall fitness level (current strength of muscles of the lower extremity).
Doing some of the exercises like recommended above will increase the chances that you're accelerating your progression from stage three to stage four rather quickly.

That being said, people in stages two and three can usually participate in activities in the water, including aquafit and swimming, tai chi (low impact but high balance and stability work) as well as open chain mat exercises and GRADUATED functional exercises in standing that don't involve a lot of higher step work or deep lunges or squats, plus machines to work hamstrings, abd/add, and closed chain exercises where you can reduce the load such as leg presses. It's also important to maintain ROM as much as possible by stretching hamstrings and hip flexors, calves and glutes.

Seeking a professional that understands OA will help you by setting up a good exercise program with appropriate progressions to keep your knees healthy for as long as possible.

Best of luck

fishgutzy

Swimming.
I have degenerative osteoarthritis in my feet. I can't do impact aerobics. So i swim a lot.

TARGET65K

Swim or bike work for me. I use a low step bike and cycle 20 km to 30 km five days of the week. I find it hard to walk a kilometre without dosing up with painkillers.

fishgutzy

One more thought.
My wife has a form of autoimmune arthritis. She can take impact on her knees. But she can spend an hour on an Octane seated elliptical. She loves it. Uses on at the Y.