What to do for knee pain?
The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but there are more than 100 different forms. In 2012, more than 51 million people reported that they had been diagnosed with some form of arthritis, according to the National Health Interview Survey. While arthritis is mainly an adult disease, some forms affect children.
Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are many treatment options available to help manage pain and keep people staying active.
Exercises that will increase quadriceps, hamstring and calf strength include ¼ squats, leg press and leg extension. These exercises should be pain free and done with limited flexion or bending of the knee, not greater than 45 degrees. In addition to these focused strengthening exercises cardiovascular exercise such as cycling, elliptical, rollerblading, and swimming will also be beneficial. Strengthening exercises should be done at least 3x/week to build muscle strength.
Resources:
- http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00212
- http://www.pamf.org/
