Top 10 Effective Workouts to Alleviate Knee Pain & Osteoarthritis

The Benefits of Exercise in Reducing Knee Osteoarthritis Pain

As Bin Wang, PhD, a leading professor of orthopedic surgery at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, notes, it has long been unclear what specific exercises should be recommended for knee osteoarthritis. To address this, Dr. Wang and his team analyzed data from over 200 clinical trials.

Identifying the Most Effective Exercises for Knee Osteoarthritis

The research team scrutinized data from 217 exercise trials involving over 15,500 knee osteoarthritis patients. The exercises examined were classified as:

• Aerobic
• Neuromotor activities such as dance, requiring balance and coordination
• Focus on flexibility
• Strength training
• Mind-body practices like yoga
• A combination of the above

The team evaluated the impact of these exercises on pain levels, mobility, gait, and quality of life at intervals of 4, 12, and 24 weeks.

The analysis revealed that aerobic exercise consistently delivered the best results across all measured factors. Compared to the control group, aerobic exercises including walking, swimming, and cycling, were found to effectively relieve pain after 4 and 12 weeks, improve function and mobility throughout the research period, and enhance gait and quality of life in the short-term and mid-term.

The Role of Other Exercise Forms in Knee Osteoarthritis

While the study found aerobic exercises to be the most effective, other forms of exercise also yielded benefits:

• Mind-body exercises such as yoga and tai chi improved short-term function
• Neuromotor exercises aided gait in the short-term
• Strength training and combined exercises significantly improved function during the 12-week follow-up

The researchers concluded that “aerobic exercise consistently showed the highest probability of being the best treatment.”

Doctors Recommend Low-Impact Cardio for Knee Pain

While it was difficult to distinguish between different forms of cardio in the study, walking, cycling, and swimming emerged as the most recommended activities for knee osteoarthritis, due to their low-impact nature. These exercises stimulate the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints and helps reduce pain, according to Joseph J. Ciotola, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center in Maryland.

The Unique Benefits of Different Exercises

Exercises like walking, are low-impact and can improve circulation, reduce joint stiffness, and increase muscle strength. Cycling and swimming, on the other hand, are beneficial for building and strengthening muscles while reducing the body’s weight stress on the knee.

Staying Active in Cold Weather

Despite the fact that cold weather can exacerbate joint pain, it’s important to stay active during the winter months. Doctors recommend indoor activities like using a recombinant bike, joining a gym with an indoor pool, or practicing low-impact exercises like yoga and Pilates. Ultimately, the aim is to stay mobile while minimizing stress on your knee joints.