Across the United States, nearly 25% of adults deal with chronic knee pain that negatively impacts their quality of life. Knee pain leads to almost 10 million visits to primary care physicians, emergency rooms, and urgent care, showing just how prevalent of a problem knee pain is in our country. Many patients with knee pain often hear that specific exercises can strengthen the knee and decrease pain levels. At Macomb Pain Management, we believe that having access to all treatments, including exercise that decreases knee pain, is critical for an effective knee pain treatment plan. Let’s explore how and what knee exercises are the best for patients with chronic knee pain.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
There are hundreds of different conditions that can cause chronic knee pain in patients, with the leading causes being osteoarthritis and overuse injuries. Understanding how these conditions and injuries cause knee pain and how exercise can reduce knee pain associated with these conditions is crucial for treating your knee pain.
Osteoarthritis (Degenerative Arthritis): Osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis occurs when cartilage breaks down over time in the body’s joints. Cartilage is vital in cushioning the joint’s bones from shock and friction when the joint is moved. When this cartilage begins to weaken with osteoarthritis, patients may experience pain in the body’s joints, including the knee. Exercise can play an essential role in treating osteoarthritis and associated knee pain.
Overuse Injuries of the Knee: Overuse injuries include conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and runner’s knee. Overuse injuries occur when repetitive stress is placed on a specific part of the body, like the knee, without enough time for recovery in between these stresses. These injuries are common in athletes and people who work physically demanding jobs. While some exercise can trigger overuse injuries, others can strengthen the knee, preventing overuse injuries from occurring and decreasing their severity.
Now that you know some of the common causes of knee pain, let’s explore what exercises can strengthen the knee and decrease pain levels.
Exercises to Reduce Knee Pain
While exercising can be a great way to reduce knee pain and increase overall health, consulting with your doctor before beginning any new fitness program is essential. For patients with knee pain, low-impact knee exercises are the best way to strengthen the muscles in the knee and reduce pain levels. Stretching before beginning your workout is recommended to decrease the chances of pulling a muscle when exercising. Low-impact knee exercises include:
Cycling: Cycling on a bicycle or machine in the gym is a great way to strengthen the knee muscles while preventing excess pressure from being applied to the joint. When you are seated on a bicycle or stationary gym bike, the seat takes most of your body weight off of the knee joint, allowing you to exercise with minimal stress on the knee joint.
Swimming: When you get into the pool to swim, water provides you with natural buoyancy, which takes the pressure off of your knee, allowing you to work out with less strain on the knee. Many patients feel swimming and water aerobics are the best exercise for knee pain.
Swimming and cycling are excellent ways to strengthen the muscles supporting the knee, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. This improves knee support and reduces pain levels associated with chronic knee pain-causing conditions.
Get Additional Resources for Knee Pain at Macomb Pain Management
While regular exercise can be an excellent tool for fighting knee pain and improving mobility, consulting with a physical therapist and pain management doctors can provide further tools for decreasing knee pain. If you are struggling with knee pain and looking for additional treatment options, contact Macomb Pain Management today at (248) 844-8281 for further options for chronic knee pain.
