Manage knee pain with exercise

The most effective exercise depends on the individual and how advanced his or her arthritis is

- Jen Murphy

Knee osteoarthritis is a long-term, degenerative condition that cannot be reversed. It develops in four stages as cartilage in the joint wears down, eventually leaving the bones to grind against each other and causing symptoms such as stiffness, swelling and a persistent ache around the joint.

“Cartilage doesn’t have pain receptors, but bone does,” said Dr Yale Fillingham, vice-chair of research at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Philadelphia.

Many people with the condition live with a lurking dread that any misstep could aggravate it. But, as with other forms of chronic pain, experts agree that the best way to manage pain and improve quality of life is moving more, not less.

Exercise helps to lubricate the knee by sloshing around synovial fluid in the capsule that coats the joint and reduces stiffness, said Dr Steffany Moonaz, director of clinical and health services research at Southern California University of Health Sciences. “It’s like oil, creating more mobility in the joints,” she added.

The most effective kind of exercise will vary based on the individual and how advanced his or her arthritis is. Someone with stage four, bone-on-bone knee osteoarthritis may feel fine running, while someone with mild cartilage loss could find it intolerable.

Here is how to choose the right regimen.