Osteoarthritis (OA) affects 27 million people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best known as the “wear-and-tear” form of arthritis, OA breaks down cartilage between the joints, eventually causing the bones to grind together painfully. The most common type of arthritis, nearly one in two adults will develop knee OA during their lifetime.

 

 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the second most common type of arthritis, affecting around 1.5 million Americans. A systemic autoimmune disease, it mainly attacks the synovial joints: the hands and wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, feet, and toes. RA may eventually deform or destroy the joints that it affects.

 

Who Gets Knee Arthritis?

Just about anyone can get knee OA. It usually develops after the age of 40, but it can potentially occur earlier. OA mostly affects the hands, hips, knees, and lower back. Knee OA is even more common in people who are overweight or obese. Two out of three obese adults are at risk of eventually developing this painful, potentially disabling condition.

 

RA mostly affects people ages 30 and older. The Arthritis Foundation reports that women get the disease two to three times more often than men do. Like with OA, having RA and being overweight or obese can make knee arthritis worse.

 

How Exercise Helps Knee Arthritis

Exercising an arthritic knee may seem counterintuitive, but regular exercise can actually lessen — and even relieve — arthritis pain and other symptoms, such as stiffness and swelling.

 

There are several reasons to exercise with knee arthritis. For example:

•Exercise maintains the joint’s full range of motion.

•Exercise strengthens the muscles that support the joint.

•Strong muscles help the joint absorb shock.

 

Exercise doesn’t have to be hard to be beneficial. In fact, gentle, low-impact exercises are best for knee arthritis. They minimize stress on the joint even as they increase its flexibility and strength.

 

Consult your physiotherapist to find out what types of knee exercise work best!

 

Reference: http://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/easy-excercises-knee

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