If your knees or feet are swollen and achy due to arthritis, you may be tempted to stay in bed all day long to give those joints of yours a much-needed break. However, although sounding counterintuitive, exercising is actually good for them as it can help in managing both pain and inflammation.
Just about anyone can get arthritis in the knees and feet, most especially because these are weight-bearing joints that are susceptible to a lot of work and stress. However, it’s more common in people above 40 years of age. Overweight individuals are also more at risk of developing such painful problem.
Provided that you are not suffering from severe discomfort, moving and exercising joints with arthritis can help you attain relief from the symptoms. So if your knees and feet stricken with arthritis are bugging you, continue reading. The following are some exercises known to be very good for knee and foot arthritis. What’s so great about them is you may carry them out whether you’re at home or in the office.
Sit and Stand
One of the simplest exercises for knee arthritis requires you to simply sit down on a chair and stand up. This routine helps mobilize the knees while building the muscles in your upper legs. Use a higher chair for an easier session or go for a low one if you want extra challenge. Refrain from simply plopping down when seating. Do it slowly and pay special attention to the motion. If you need support, grab a chair with armrests and hold onto them while sitting and standing. Do a set daily consisting of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Knee Squats
You still need a chair for this exercise although it will only be used as a support to avoid injuries. Stand behind it and grab the top of the backrest. Slowly lower your upper body to do a squatting position. Stop going down when your knees are already covering your toes, then stand up. Do at least 10 squats to target both knees and foot affected by arthritis. You may squat a little lower as the pain and inflammation gradually go away.
Seated Leg Stretches
This is a great exercise for knee and foot arthritis. To get started, you need to sit on the floor with your back against the wall and both your legs stretched out before you. Slowly bend your right knee until you can bend it no more. Remember to keep your heel on the floor while bending your right knee, and plant it on the floor when your knee is fully bent. Hold this position for about 5 seconds then slowly straighten your leg once more, keeping your heel on the floor. Do the same with your left leg. Each leg should be exercised 10 times.
Step Ups
For this particular exercise, you need to stand at the foot of the stairs. Begin by stepping on the stairs with your right foot, followed by your left foot. Step down with your left foot, followed by the right foot. Next, step on the stairs with your left foot, followed by your right foot. Step down using your right foot first, then followed by the right. Repeat everything until you feel you can do no more. It’s also possible to use a step bench if you have one at home.
Walking
Last but not the least, there’s walking. This very simple exercise is good for lessening arthritis-related pain and inflammation in the knees and feet. Walking is also a low-impact type of workout that is good for strengthening the cardiovascular system and keeping those unwanted pounds at bay. Experts recommend for you to walk for at least 30 minutes, for not less than 5 times a week. It’s perfectly fine to choose to do 3 10-minute sessions each time.
