From the article: Exercise Ideas for Hip and Knee Arthritis
People with arthritis know it is important to exercise. We know that maintaining joint motion, increasing muscle strength, and lowering body weight can all help to relieve arthritis pain. But how do you exercise when you have arthritis joint pain?
Have you found a way to exercise despite your arthritis? Share your ideas with others on what activities you can do without aggravating your joint pain. Activities Without Pain
Tai chi for Arthritis
- Surprised no one has suggested this. Tai chi is slow, mindful exercise that strenghtens muscles, is weight bearing, improves tolerance to pain and lightens mood. Good research supports these outcomes and more. See the website of Dr Paul Lam (google him) for much information.
- —Guest Annie Furtado
Vibrogym.
- Vibrogym. I use a top quality vibration machine at the local gym. I think it is fantastic for improving blood flow, massage and stretching as well as strength and aerobic training.
- —Guest Dial
Lots of water walking
- One block of walking on land causes pain. In water I can walk two miles (70 laps of a 25-yard pool) with five-pound ankle weights. I do this three times a week, and now I am pain free and much stronger. I walk forward, backward, and sideways to work different muscle groups, and also do hip strength and range of motion exercises at the side of the pool. After a workout, my muscles are weak and a little sore, but the pain is not joint pain, and goes away quickly without need for medication.
- —richshewmaker
Swimming 30 lengths
- Swimming at least 30 lengths each morning is my answer to arthritis free pain in the hip which I have had for over 2 years. This is followed with the steam room the steam is fab and time in the whirl pool. Heaven for me.
- —Guest Bridget Kirby
Mary
- I discovered that the deep water classes are so much better after my hip replacements. I was doing the Arthritis water classes in the shallow water, but found that the impact from things like side walking and jumping jacks felt great in the water, but left me with lots of joint and muscle pain from overdoing each day. For me, deep water is the answer, esp. since there are cardio classes that give me a great workout that I could never accomplish outside water. http://bluestarmoon.wordpress.com/
- —Guest Mary
Pole walking
- I love my walking poles. After having bilateral knee replacement, I discovered walking poles (sometimes called trekking or nordic poles). They take some of the pressure off my knees (especially when going downhill) and increase the calorie burn. I have gradually increased the distance walked and have been able to do 10 KM with very little discomfort.
- —Guest shamrock49
Retired
- Water aerobics and moderate weight lifting, shoulders and knees with emphasis on quads & hamstrings.
- —Guest John Sebastian
Less Ouch
- Biking (stationary or not); Push-Ups,Squats,Lunges,Pull-Ups(with chair to assist),Reverse Grip Pull-Ups-all without use of weights; pool jogging with hand floats
- —decarrier
Water Exercise Has Allowed Me More
- I would try to walk and it would hurt so bad. As a matter of fact, the way I found out I had arthritis is from walking to much and waking up in the morning stiff and in pain. Now I get in the pool and play. I sometime swim, sometimes I run, jump or just move around. Now I can walk on the treadmill very slow, but for an hour. I am losing weight too. I hope this helps.
- —KarenAwoleye
In the Pool
- Water exercises in a warm (97 degrees) pool, four days a week!!!
- —Guest Joan Cole
Low Impact Exercise
- I have been using a Trikke, actually four different models, for almost six years. I find that the all around conditioning this device offers has helped me not only physically but emotionally. I'm a 71 year old cancer survivor.
- —Guest Ivan Schiller
Water Exercises
- I've had both hips replaced and am looking at knee replacements now. I also have spinal stenosis. I enjoy water exercise and usually walk sideways, run, swim short distance, float, then start over again. I'm getting bored with the same exercises and would appreciate more!
- —suncatcher378
Exercises in Bed
- I find it easiest to lie in bed and flex the muscles of both my lower and upper body.
- —Guest Alex
Swimming With My Dog
- Both my 8.5 year old lab mix, Luke, and I (57) have severe arthritis of the knee. Both of us have had both knees repaired, so we swim together several times a week. My orthopedist noted a much greater range of motion than when I first saw him several months ago. That together with the glucosomine/condroitin/msm supplements I'm taking, swimming has allowed me to postpone knee surgery scheduled for next week.
- —Guest roger Duvernoy
Running With More Crosstraining
- I have mild arthritis in my knee and shoulder. I used to run 15 to 20 miles per week and I have completed three marathons. Now, I cannot run as far or as fast but I can still run 8 or 9 miles per week with minimal pain, which eases with icing after a run. I also run much slower and cannot run competitively. I cross train on a bicycle, spin classes, weight training, and do yoga and pilates. The exercise controls my weight, blood pressure, and other vitals.
- —Guest Roger Hoskin
No More Walking...
- I have arthritis in my left hip and had a hip replacement already in the right hip. I find walking to aggravate it. The elliptical is great--I go forward and backward and different resistances a few times a day. I use a stability ball to sit on and bounce. I also stretch from a chin up bar and use a machine called a gyrotonic which is really good.
- —Guest karen romiah
