| Although you cannot stop the progression of | | | | strength. Your first goal in implementing specific |
| osteoarthritis, you can take an active role in the | | | | exercises should be to work on knee flexion and |
| management of the symptoms, maintaining optimal | | | | extension exercises. These exercises are often |
| function and mobility, and positively influencing your | | | | forgotten about, but are truly the most important |
| recovery from joint replacement surgery. Learning | | | | for you to do especially if you will be going in for |
| more about how osteoarthritis impacts the body and | | | | joint replacement surgery. |
| what you can do will promote safe, effective, and | | | | Quadricep Strength for Ability & Recovery |
| positive management of the disease. Here are a few | | | | The most important muscle you can strengthen to |
| principles to follow that will help get you started with | | | | help you recover from surgery quicker and to help |
| your self management exercise plan: | | | | support your knee joint is the quadriceps. Often this |
| The Weight Bearing Principle: Osteoarthritis is the | | | | muscle will atrophy, or shrink, on the leg impacted by |
| degeneration of cartilage in your joint that then | | | | osteoarthritis due to the avoidance of pain. There are |
| presents in pain due to the friction of two bones | | | | many exercises you can do in a non weight bearing |
| rubbing against each other. When your knee joint is | | | | position to keep the quadriceps strong. If it even |
| loaded as it would be in a weight bearing position | | | | hurts to just bend your knee, there are even |
| such as standing or walking, it creates an | | | | isometric strength exercises that can be done for |
| environment where there will be friction on the bones | | | | the quadriceps that do not require any bending of |
| possibly causing pain. Now, this does not mean you | | | | the knee. Everyone should be able to perform at |
| should stop walking altogether, but this principle exists | | | | least one to two quadricep strength exercises that |
| to teach you the following: | | | | do not cause pain. |
| - If you are already in pain or experience pain upon | | | | The Importance of Muscle Lengthening |
| weight bearing, select non weight bearing exercise | | | | It has been reported that close to 90% of the pain |
| options. Pain will increase inflammation in your joint | | | | associated with osteoarthritis is linked to muscle |
| and therefore decrease your range of motion. When | | | | tightening, trigger points, or knots in muscles. When |
| you select non weight bearing exercise, you are able | | | | you begin to feel pain around a joint, your muscles |
| to keep your body moving and maintain range | | | | begin to shorten in an attempt to protect the joint |
| without causing pain and inflammation. | | | | and also because you will start to use that muscle |
| - If you are overweight, this is presenting a greater | | | | less. The muscles that may shorten around the knee |
| load on the knee joint and adding to your pain. You | | | | joint are your quadriceps, hamstrings, illiotibial band, |
| could greatly reduce your pain and increase your | | | | calves, and hip flexors. When you implement a |
| mobility by doing your best to lower your weight. | | | | weekly stretching routine to target all of these |
| - Avoid standing for long periods | | | | muscles, you will greatly influence your function, post |
| - Cycling, swimming, and non weight bearing muscular | | | | surgery recovery, and possibly reduce pain. |
| endurance exercises are best | | | | By applying these principles of limiting weight bearing, |
| Range of Motion Principle | | | | targeting knee range of motion, strengthening your |
| Range of motion at your knee joint enables you to | | | | quadriceps, and stretching, you will improve all the |
| walk normally, climb or descend stairs, and sit or | | | | symptoms created by osteoarthritis. Choose to start |
| stand with ease. Therefore, it is more important in | | | | today in becoming an active participant in managing |
| terms of function, to work on maintaining flexion and | | | | the symptoms and improving your quality of life. |
| extension of the knee than it is to solely target | | | | |