Osteoarthritis and leg strength

Osteoarthritis and leg strength

Osteoarthritis plays an important role in everyone's life at some point. Millions of dollars are spent each year to combat the effects of osteoarthritis through prescribed medication, physical therapy and surgery. Although there is currently no known cure for it, as an individual you can actively help reduce the effects of OA through proper diet, exercise, and weight loss.

The lower extremities are more susceptible to osteoarthritis due to long-term stress from weight or walking in areas such as the knees and hips. The forces acting through your hips and knees, for example, are increased according to our body weight.

When walking, the hip joint receives the following mechanical force, which is 1.3 to 5.8 times your body weight. Walking up is three times your body weight and running is about 4.5 times your body weight. And with the knee, the forces can be just as high, if not higher.

One way you as an individual can reduce forces once osteoarthritis sets in and help cushion the joints in the lower extremities is with an exercise program that keeps the surrounding muscles strong and supple.

For example, when it comes to your hips, it is important that you maintain strength in muscles like the gluteus minimus and medius along with your glutes or buttocks to balance these forces, which increase once a joint becomes arthritic.

In your knee, the muscles like quadriceps or hamstrings, hamstrings, and calf muscles play an important role in supporting the knee joint. Osteoarthritis slowly takes its toll on these joints, causing muscle weakness and atrophy. In turn, your muscles lose the ability to protect and absorb the forces you exert through them, leading to more pain and swelling when, for example, walking. Depending on how advanced the arthritis is, it may be almost impossible to perform daily functions.

Once you lose the ability to walk or remain physically active, you not only accelerate the arthritic effects on the joint, but you also become deconditioned and your overall physical condition worsens.

There are several ways that all of us who suffer from arthritis can stay active, but it generally helps to find activities that are non-strenuous, such as cycling and swimming. These activities are painless yet very effective.

If you are still active and can visit a local fitness center or gym, they will guide you on exercises such as leg extensions, leg presses, and hamstring curls. It's also worth speaking to your orthopedic surgeon, or better yet a physical therapist, to make sure you're doing these exercises correctly.

Of course, the amount of exercise and style depends greatly on how advanced the arthritis is, how old you are and your general physical condition. Discuss with your doctor any exercise program you want to start if you are not used to exercising.

Stronger joints through exercise slow the effects of arthritis and greatly reduce the pain of walking and other daily activities, allowing you to ultimately postpone total joint replacement.

Inspired by Richard A Haynes