The 4 videos on this page are a set of exercises for the treatment of knee joints.

Indications for remedial gymnastics:

The exercises from the video are helpful with knee diseases:
- with arthrosis of the knee joints - gonarthrosis;
- in case of damage to the meniscus - incomplete rupture of the meniscus, meniscopathy;
- to restore the knee after knee surgery;
- to restore the knee joint after knee injuries and tendon sprains.

Exercise "Glide" to heal the knees.

Rapid improvement in just 5 minutes a day!

I want to clarify that the first video presents a basic exercise with which you need to start treating your knee joints. And gradually the load must be increased.

And after about a week from the beginning of classes, proceed to mastering an advanced set of exercises from our following videos:

Gymnastics for the treatment of knee joints, part 1

When you learn how to easily and smoothly do the exercises from the set of part 1, move on to mastering a wider set of exercises from the following video:

Gymnastics for the treatment of knee joints, part 2

In the future, it is best to practice alternating between two complexes. That is, one day you do a complex for the knees part 1, the other day - part 2. But it is advisable to do the "Glide" exercise daily.

Gymnastics for the knee and hip joints, part 3:
office option

Gymnastics for the knees and hip joints, part 3 are exercises that can be done in any environment - at home, at work, in the office or in the country.
All you need is a chair and very little free space!
You can do exercises from the third complex daily or every other day - as an addition to knee gymnastics, part 1 or part 2.

Contraindications to remedial gymnastics

Therapeutic gymnastics for knee joints is a rather serious method of treatment that has its own contraindications.

For all their usefulness, these exercises cannot be performed:

On critical days in women;
... with significantly increased arterial and intracranial pressure;
... at elevated body temperature (above 37.5 ºС); with flu, SARS and sore throat - you need to wait for recovery and wait another 3-4 days;
... in the first month after operations on the abdominal and chest organs;
... with inguinal hernias and abdominal hernias;
... with acute diseases of internal organs, for example, with appendicitis, exacerbation of cholelithiasis or exacerbation of cholecystitis, etc.;
... with severe heart damage and severe blood diseases.

Attention!

If a particular exercise causes severe pain, then it is contraindicated for you or you are performing it incorrectly. In this case, it is better not to do it, or at least postpone it until consulting your doctor.

Exercise rules

The main rule is that when doing gymnastics, do not rush. If you want to heal, you will somehow have to train yourself to do the exercises slowly and smoothly, without jerking.

A pulling force can only "rip" muscles and damage joints, and will not do you any good at all.

Remember that even with the correct execution of gymnastics, improvement does not come immediately. In the first 2 weeks of exercise, joint pain may even worsen slightly. But already after 3 - 4 weeks you will feel the first signs of an improvement in your well-being.

I wish you the will and perseverance necessary to return the former ease of movement!

Best regards, your doctor Evdokimenko.

You might be interested in:

A chapter from the book "Pain in the legs. What you need to know about your disease":

Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis are designed to improve the mobility of the joint by unblocking it. If you do it daily, the degenerative process can be preserved for a long time or even lead to its retreat. Our today's topic is exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint.

Therapeutic exercises for knee arthrosis

To understand what a joint blockage is, remember that arthrosis is called deforming arthrosis for a reason:

• The destruction of the hyaline cartilage is accompanied by a simultaneous thickening of the subchondral bone
• In the later stages, hard calcium growths - osteophytes appear on the destroyed cartilaginous surface

The osteophytes of the joints play a protective role: if they had not formed, the head of the bone would have completely collapsed.

The negative role of osteophytes is precisely in blocking the joint, which ceases to move and rotate freely.

Appointment of exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint

Exercise, massage, manual therapy - this is a set of measures that can restrain the calcification of the joint, partially breaking it

However, what should be the therapeutic exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint?

Many patients make a serious mistake, trying to load the sore knee as much as possible, squatting up to a hundred times a day. Imagine that you suddenly start driving a car with a worn out chassis over long distances. What can happen? That's right - the car will most likely break down. But this would not have happened if you had made the replacement of individual parts, which would improve the driving performance.

In our case, the role of such a repair will be played by a properly selected exercise therapy.

We do not plan to replace individual units of our UDF yet, but it is within our power to strengthen them.

Strengthening the periarticular muscles and ligaments will strengthen the bone connections themselves and the "running", that is, the motor functions of our musculoskeletal system.

Exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint is thus not intended for the joint itself, but for the femoral and tibial muscles.

Along the way, the muscles of the back, pelvic, gluteal, extensor muscles of the toes, etc. will be involved.

Video: Gymnastics for arthrosis

Requirements for therapeutic exercises

Gymnastics cannot be done:

• with increased arterial or intracranial pressure
• on critical days
• at elevated temperature
• with exacerbation of chronic diseases
• immediately after operations
• with serious cardiovascular diseases

If your knees hurt a lot, then you need to start the exercises with static exercises.

Static exercise puts stress on muscles and ligaments, leaving the joint itself motionless

Examples of static knee exercises

You can perform them while standing, sitting, lying down. Only squats are excluded.

• Straight Leg Raises: The exercise can be performed while sitting on a chair (on the floor), lying on your back, on your stomach, on your side. It is important to engage all of these positions to develop the joint in all directions.
  • We raise one or the other leg in turn:
    • the leg should be straight at the knee
    • leg lifting height can be either large or up to 20 cm - it's all the same
  • The essence of the exercise is to keep the leg in a raised position for a while:
    start with 10-15 seconds, then gradually increase the time for lifting the leg to 30 seconds or more
  • Tension should be felt in the muscles of the thighs and lower legs.
  • Lowering your leg slowly, relax it for a few seconds
  • We make ten such lifts in total.
  • The rhythm of the movements should match the breathing:
    • take a breath on the rise
    • holding the legs - holding the breath
    • lowering down, exhale
  • You can apply a more dynamic version of the exercises:
    • Holding the leg at the lifting point - one to two seconds
    • You still need to lower your leg slowly and smoothly.
• Bent Leg Raises: Such lifts are also performed in any position.
  • Bend the leg at the knee at an angle of 90 ˚
  • Raise the hip without changing the angle of the bent leg
  • We hold the leg in the same way as described in the first exercise
  • Letting go of the leg, relax
  • Repeat 10 times
  • In the dynamic version, we reduce the time of holding the leg
• Rotation by feet
  • In a sitting or lying position, we place our legs at a distance of the length of the foot
  • We turn the feet outward and hold them with muscle tension
  • Straighten your feet and relax
  • Now turn the feet inward until the thumbs touch.
  • We also linger in this position, and then return back
  • The exercise can be performed with both straightened and bent knees.
• Toe or heel support:The exercise is usually performed while standing, but for elderly and weak patients, the sitting option can be recommended.
  • Rise on tiptoe, holding on to the back of the chair
  • We hold on like this for up to one minute
  • Slowly sinking to your heels
  • Now we transfer the emphasis to the heels, and raise the toes of the feet and pull them towards ourselves
  • Slowly sinking to our socks
  • We make rolls:
    • One foot with an emphasis on the toe, the other on the heel
    • Then we change the position of the legs
    • At the same time, try not to bend the legs at the knees.

At the end of gymnastics, it is advisable to massage the front and side surfaces of the thighs, starting from the knee to the groin.

Dynamic gymnastics for joints

When the pains have passed, you can start more active gymnastics. This does not mean you have to run, jump or squat right away: start with simple exercises, combined with a knee massage.

Examples of dynamic exercises for gonarthrosis

• Sitting or lying down, slowly bend and straighten the right and left legs alternately, without lifting the feet from the floor
  You can knee your knee with your hands at the same time.
• We bend and straighten with the separation of the feet from the floor
  You can also hold your knee with your hands.
• We pull the bent knee with our hands up
  Lowering the leg, straighten it
• Sitting on a chair, leaning on the back
  • Legs are straightened, with an emphasis on the heels, we hold our hands on the seat
  • We bend the torso to the knees, while bending the knees and lowering the feet to the floor
• Step forward and backward while sitting:
  two or three steps forward and the same amount back
• We make rolls from toe to heel, while the knee joint moves and bends freely
• Lying on your back, with bent legs, we perform the "bicycle" movement

Warming improves the effect of therapeutic exercises.

They can be rubbed into the surface of the knee directly while charging, combining them with a massage.

For the prevention of gonarthrosis, as well as during remission, you can use the exercise therapy complex, given in the video below.

Knee exercise is limited in its range of options: there are not many, but it is effective in treating many conditions, including arthrosis, osteoporosis, and meniscus injury / fracture.

At the same time, knee gymnastics is used both as a treatment and to restore an injured knee. During the exercise, not only the joint is strengthened, but also the tendons (ligaments) and knee muscles.

There is no cure for developing the knee joint without stress; in any case, at least a minimal warm-up with exercise is required.

1 Why warm up for healthy knees?

Some may wonder: why do a set of exercises for healthy knees? Isn't daily movement enough to keep them up and running?

No, usually not enough. Especially in the modern world, when both rest and work are somehow associated with inactivity (for most people). The daily movement of walking from home to work and from work home is clearly not enough.

This lifestyle will sooner or later lead to disease of the knee joints, so training is required for them. Through training, you can strengthen not only the joint, but also the musculo-ligamentous apparatus. The stronger it is, the less chance of developing knee disease / injury.

Normal daily exercises are enough for healthy people: at least 20 minutes a day. It is recommended to perform specialized exercise therapy complexes (for example, according to Evdokimenko or Bubnovsky).

Sport is not always a preventive measure. In some cases, the opposite is true: it can lead to injury or joint disease due to excessive physical exertion. Therefore, athletes also need to perform special exercise therapy for the legs.

A set of exercises should be prescribed by a doctor (traumatologist, orthopedist, or even a therapist), or a rehabilitation specialist.

1.1 When and how often should it be done?

It is completely pointless to limit yourself to a couple of classes a month, it will not be of any benefit. There should be a systematic approach in the classroom, especially if it is not about prevention, but about the treatment of existing joint diseases.

Without a systematic approach, you will not be able to do the exercises incrementally. After all, splits require lengthy preparation and stretching of muscles and tendons, the same is true in terms of the treatment of knee joints.

That is, ideally, you need to perform the simplest elements for the first month or two, after which you can smoothly move on to the most difficult ones. The reverse sequence is extremely dangerous with injuries and ruptures of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus, and even worsening the existing pathology.

It turns out that for the treatment of knee diseases, exercise therapy should be done for at least a year, even if the pain and other symptoms have passed much earlier (this is not a guarantee of recovery). Classes should be carried out day after day, so that the body has time to rest and regenerate damaged tissues.

There are fewer requirements for prevention: it is enough to spend 10-15 minutes warming up the knee joints 2-4 times a week. But you need to do it constantly, throughout your life. This does not guarantee protection against knee diseases, but it significantly reduces the risks of their occurrence.

2 For what problems of the knee joint is exercise therapy used?

Physiotherapy exercises are used for existing diseases or pathological conditions (for example, after injuries) of the knees. Naturally, depending on the disease, an individual set of therapeutic exercises is selected.

Exercise therapy is effective for the following pathologies of the knee joints:

• the course of inflammatory processes after surgery (including joint replacement);
• with the consequences of the operation (for example, with a rupture of arthroplasty, with inflammation after arthroscopy);
• with bursitis, synovitis, Baker's cyst;
• after dislocation or subluxation of the knee joint;
• in the presence of arthritis (including psoriatic, secondary), arthrosis, gonarthrosis;
• with partial immobilization after a period of prolonged immobility of the limbs (for example, if the leg has been fixed with plaster for a long time);
• with autoimmune diseases of the articular apparatus (for example, ankylosing spondylitis) as a way to slow the progression of knee immobilization;
• with bruises of the knee, rotational / axial injuries (which often happens in athletes, especially in sprinters), pain after injury (not only in the knee, but also behind it);
• with instability in the ligamentous-muscular apparatus due to clubfoot or prolonged flatfoot;
• with deformation of the lower extremities due to severe scoliosis.

3 Exercises to warm up a healthy knee joint

The first rule of warming up, even for healthy knee joints: before starting, you need to stretch the muscles, stretch and warm up the joint, and only then take up the basic exercises.

How to do a preparatory warm-up? Most of the time, a few slow squats and walking in circles for a few minutes are sufficient.

List of strengthening exercises for a healthy knee joint:

1. Move 20 centimeters away from the wall and press against it with the shoulder of either side. After that, do slow squats, lowering to the ground until your thigh touches the wall.
2. Stand up straight, cross your right leg with your left, putting it forward. After that, slowly tilt the left side of the body in the opposite direction, stretching your arms above you. Make sure that your legs do not bend at the knees during the bend.
3. Put your hands on the wall and squat on one leg, squeeze the other. This exercise is only suitable for physically strong people, otherwise knee injuries may occur.
4. Bring your leg forward a wide stride length. Begin to squat, while while squatting, the angle at the knee of the extended leg should be approximately 90 degrees. Keep your back straight, the load should fall primarily on the heel, and the knee should not go out through the toe line.

4 Therapeutic exercises for knee joints in diseases

With joints already affected by diseases, the situation is somewhat more complicated. Here, more gentle exercises are needed, which are guaranteed not to lead to an exacerbation or progression of the disease. We will present a list of several safe exercises, but ideally you should contact your doctor to prepare a personalized exercise plan.

List of remedial exercises:

• very slowly raise your right leg straight at the knee 10-15 centimeters from the floor and hold it in the air for 30 seconds, then slowly lower it, take a breath, and repeat the exercise for the other leg;
• slowly raise the left leg bent at the knee 10 centimeters from the ground and hold it in the air for about 30 seconds, then slowly lower it to its original position and give a little rest, repeating the exercise on the other limb;
• lie on your stomach, straighten your legs, your arms need to be extended along the body, then slowly raise your legs (keeping them straight) to a height of 15 centimeters above the floor and while holding them in the air, spread them to the sides, then hold them a little in this position and return to the starting position ;
• sit on a chair, straighten your left leg at the knee and lift it in a straight position as high as possible, and then hold it in weight for 30 seconds or a minute (depending on your endurance, but not through pain!).

4.1 Exercises to develop the knee after injury

Exercises designed to develop knee joints after injuries and bruises are quite specific and differ from therapeutic exercises. It's all about the nature of the damage to the articular tissue: in diseases, inflammatory processes are usually expressed, while in injuries, edema occurs and the level of blood circulation decreases.

Exercises for knees after injuries:

1. Lie on your right side, then bend your right knee and straighten your left leg as much as possible. Next, lift your left leg and keep it in the air at an angle of 45 degrees for half a minute, then slowly lower it and relax. Roll over to the other side and repeat the exercise on the other side.
2. Sit on a chair, straighten your right leg as slowly as possible and lift it up while keeping it straight. In this position, you need to keep your leg in the air for 30 seconds, then return it to its original position and give yourself a rest. Then repeat the exercise on the left leg.
3. Stand up straight, straighten up, grab the back of the chair (for balance). Lean on your heels, then lift your toes higher and hold them in this position for a minute. After that, lower your fingers and rest a little.
4. Finish the gymnastics with self-massage of the knee and thigh areas. Perform vigorous self-massage by massaging the upper layers of the thigh muscles and very gently the surface of the knee joint. Enough 3-5 minutes of self-massage.

5 Dangerous knee exercises

There are extremely dangerous knee exercises that will do nothing but harm. To avoid performing such exercises, you need to consult with a doctor who will determine the prohibitions in each case and select only useful exercises.

List of harmful exercises for knee joints (in the presence of knee diseases or after knee injuries):

1. Any technique of "pumping" the knee joints, ignoring pain or crunching in them while performing these very exercises. Remember: you cannot practice through pain.
2. Rotational and axial exercises involving twisting the leg. Such elements are dangerous, first of all, by trauma to the meniscus, and in some cases so severe that an expensive operation may be required.
3. Any exercise that creates discomfort. Does your knee hurt while stretching or even warming up? It means that you are either doing something wrong, or specifically these elements of stretching or warming up are not suitable for you.
4. Jumping elements. That is, any exercises that involve jumping while they are being performed (for example, jumping rope) are prohibited. With existing diseases of the joints, jumping will simply lead to the destruction of the articular tissue and the progression of the underlying disease.
5. Run. In severe illness (or after injury), running, even slow, is contraindicated in most cases.

5.1 Gymnastics for the treatment of knees (video)

Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint is an integral part of the rehabilitation period, it will help stop painful sensations in the limb and allow you to quickly get on your feet in the literal sense of what has been said. It is known that the condition of the knee joint with arthrosis is not the best, since it is subject to constant degenerative processes. As the cartilage breaks down, irreparable changes occur in the bones, which cannot be eliminated with the help of tablets alone.

Therapeutic gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint will help maintain the normal state of the cartilage tissue, and will also restore the full functioning of the knees and the person will be able to move as before. There are a lot of exercises for arthrosis for the knee joint, but the load is determined individually for each patient. Moderate physical activity helps restore normal blood circulation and stimulates the metabolism in affected tissues.

As a result, physical exercises for arthrosis make the bone beams grow in problem areas faster, and the periosteum to strengthen and recover.

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The principle of training

Before starting exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint, you need to take into account several important points, namely:

1. Gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee should be carried out only during the period of remission of the disease. If the training is performed at the time of exacerbation of the disease, then this will not only cause discomfort, but also worsen the course of the disease.
2. In no case, do not choose exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint for yourself. It is imperative that you need to consult a qualified doctor, because there is a set of physical exercises that are contraindicated for you.
3. Don't overdo it. If physical therapy for arthrosis of the knee joint, which was prescribed by a doctor, causes you pain or seems too heavy and exhausting to you, do not suffer. Tell your doctor about this, he will reduce the load and develop a new charging scheme.

The intensity of recovery in arthrosis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree depends on correctly selected exercises and the patient's dedication. The knee will return to normal faster if exercise therapy is combined with a course of physiotherapy, electrophoresis, mud therapy or hirudotherapy. Physical education for the knee joint is an irreplaceable assistant that has the following effects on the affected area:

• reduces pain;
• increases the joint space;
• improves blood circulation;
• helps in strengthening muscles;

Rules for performing exercise therapy

1. Performing exercise therapy for arthrosis of the 2nd degree, do not allow strong pressure on the knee joint, do not ignore the painful sensations, make soft movements.
2. After completing a 10-minute gymnastics complex for the knee joints, relax, stretch your legs, lie on your back for a couple of minutes.

A set of exercises for arthrosis of the knee of the 2nd degree

Exercise therapy prevents the development of complications of arthrosis of the knee joint and helps to restore articular activity, preventing further bone deformation. The therapeutic gymnastics program includes a whole range of classes. These are gymnastic tasks that are solved in different body positions, training on special simulators and in water, rehabilitation courses.

With arthrosis of the knee joint, an exercise bike, hatha yoga, Pilates, micromovement classes are useful. Only the loads should be minimal, under the supervision of an experienced instructor. It is easy to develop degrading knee muscles with the help of steppers that are installed in orthopedic centers. Their principle of operation is imitation of walking, in which, if necessary, additional load is applied.

Lying on your back

1. With arthrosis of the knee of the 2nd degree, leg movements are very effective, imitating cycling with alternating active phase with a rest period of several seconds.

On the belly

1. Lift one leg straight at the knee joint 30 degrees off the floor, hold for a few seconds, making sure that the gluteal muscles are clamped. The leg muscles are maximally tense, the body is pressed to the floor. Try to breathe evenly. Slowly lower your leg, then do the same with the other leg.
2. Exercise number 1 perform at a fast pace, holding the leg for 1-2 seconds. This will improve blood circulation in the sore knee joint with arthrosis of the 2nd degree.
3. Raise your straightened arms and legs off the floor. Hold them for 30 seconds, and then very slowly return to the starting position. To strengthen the muscles of the knee joint, make the task more difficult. Slowly move and spread your raised arms and legs.

Standing

1. Perform smooth transitions from toe to heel while standing near the back of the chair. With arthrosis of the 2nd degree, this exercise activates blood circulation in the knee joint.
2. Grasp the back of a chair with both hands. Take your straight legs to the sides in turn. Movements should be as slow as possible so that the muscles of the knee joint are strengthened.

Sitting on a chair

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1. In the same position, take turns pulling one leg to the stomach, then the other, bending at the knee joint.

Exercise therapy in water

With arthrosis of the knee of the 2nd degree, exercise therapy in water is a complete substitute for therapeutic exercises. When using this unique development, the specificity of the impact of the aquatic environment on the human body is taken into account, because hydrostatic pressure accelerates the flow of blood to the joints, improving metabolism. With arthrosis of the 2nd degree, classes in the pool are shown to those people who experience pain while doing exercise therapy under normal conditions. Here are some exercises:

1. Walk slowly along the bottom of the pool, bending and extending your knee joints for 3-5 minutes.

Contraindications to exercise therapy

Exercising for arthrosis of the knee joint has a number of contraindications that must be taken into account before starting training. Contraindications to physical activity include:

• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• blood diseases such as leukemia, anemia, clotting disorders;
• hernia of the hips and abdomen;
• menstruation in women;
• body temperature is more than 38 ° C;
• the first month after surgery;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases and infections.

If you do not have the above contraindications, you can safely start exercising and be sure that you will notice the result very quickly.

A set of exercises for gonarthrosis

There are many types of gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint, but as mentioned above, the scheme of physical activity should be selected depending on the age, gender, weight and condition of the patient. Exercise for the elderly and young patients will differ dramatically, although the symptoms of the disease and drug treatment will be identical. The classic knee exercise pattern is as follows:

1. Lie on the floor with your stomach down, while extending your arms along your body. In this position, we raise our straight leg up and linger. Then we change the leg. At the initial stage, 5 lifts for each leg are enough.
2. Lie on your back, stretch your legs and try to pull the socks over yourself, while helping yourself with your hands is prohibited. 10 pulls are enough.
3. In the same position, lying on the back, we perform flexion of the leg at the knee, followed by extension, 10 times for each leg. The exercise should be done slowly and without jerking. In the presence of pain, gymnastics is stopped.
4. In a supine position, we are trying to bend the leg at the knee and bend it so that the heel touches our buttocks. In the final position, we linger for a few seconds and change the leg.
5. We carry out an exercise known to everyone since childhood, which imitates pedaling while riding a bicycle.
6. The outstretched legs in the supine position are alternately crossed. To make the task heavier, the legs are raised up and alternately crossed in the air.
7. In a seated position, swing each leg in turn. The leg should not touch the floor; this requires choosing a high chair.

Exercise therapy complex according to Norbekov

Treatment for arthrosis can also be carried out using specialized methods. Gymnastics Norbekova performed very well. If there is arthrosis of the knee joints, the set of exercises according to Norbekov is aimed not only at strengthening bone tissue, but also at psychological training. They consist in the awareness of their superiority over the disease. You need to start treatment only in high spirits, with gratitude to yourself for taking care of the body. The set of exercises is as follows:

1. Standing on straight legs, we bend one of the legs at the knee and perform circular movements with it, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Having made 5 turns each, we change the leg.
2. Standing, legs are placed parallel to each other in a position slightly wider than the shoulders. We put our palms on our knees and begin to rotate our knees in a circle. First, we make circular movements inward, and then outward. It is important to note that the knees should be fully extended.
3. Lie on the floor sideways. Bend your right leg at the knee, and fully straighten your left leg. Raise your straight leg at an angle of 45º and hold in this position for a few seconds. Exercises are done 5 times on each leg.
4. Standing on straightened legs, rise on the toes of your left leg, while pulling the heel of the same leg as high as possible. The right leg should fit snugly to the floor, after which the leg changes - the right one rests on a tiptoe, and the left one fits snugly to the floor. From the outside, the exercise should look like active walking on toes in one place.

You can't just stop after training and start doing your usual things. You need to self-massage and relax tense leg muscles. To do this, sit on the floor, stretch your legs wide apart in front of you, place one hand above the knee, and help the other to carry out rubbing movements that will come closer and closer to the knee. Massage the sides of your ankle and thigh. After training, you can use warming ointments, which must be rubbed into the skin until completely absorbed. Massage your leg until you feel a pleasant warmth in the limbs, but not a burning sensation and pain.

When there is arthrosis of the knee joint, exercises should be performed regularly, without missing a single day. Treatment and its results directly depend on the intensity of training.

The attending physician should first consult a patient whose knee is prone to gonarthrosis, and tell about the technique of increasing the load. Ideally, the first few sessions should be conducted in a hospital setting so that the doctor can check that the prescribed exercises are being performed correctly.

Do not panic if you have been diagnosed with arthrosis of the knee joint, remedial gymnastics will not only strengthen the cartilage tissue, but also contribute to the build-up of muscle mass, which is an important point. Thanks to constant physical activity, blood circulation improves, respectively, motor function is improved. There are a huge number of cases when active training and yoga with arthrosis completely restored the mobility of the knee joint, although doctors did not give promising predictions. Any disease can be prevented by starting timely prevention. Young people are encouraged to go in for sports, no one talks about marathon races, light jogging and morning exercises are enough. As for the elderly, it is impossible to stop a number of degenerative age-related changes in the bones, but with light exercise, you can slow down the disease and relieve pain in the joints.

• The result of your treatment depends only on you.
• A person gets sick only when he really allows the disease to take over, and this should never be done.
• Physical education with gonarthrosis will certainly bear fruit, the main thing is not to feel sorry for yourself, but to fully follow the instructions of the physiotherapist.

It is also important not to self-medicate, since all methods must be prescribed by a doctor, otherwise you can only aggravate the problem.

Physical activity as a factor in degenerative processes

Osteoarthritis- This is the destruction of cartilage, the appearance of compensatory growths and seals. At an early stage, displacement or convergence of the bones connected by ligaments is detected. Hence, we can conclude that kneeling is harmful at any stage of degeneration. Hypertonicity or hypotension of the musculature, which provides stability and function of the joint, disrupt its dynamics.

What exercises make it worse?

O-shaped (varus) and X-shaped (valgus) positioning of the limbs increases the risk of osteoarthritis, increases medial and lateral bone friction, respectively, and accelerates the progression of the disease. If the angle of the pelvic-knee joint is less than 178 degrees, then varus is observed, and when it exceeds 182 degrees, valgus develops. The changes are genetic, acquired, or traumatic, but they always increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

Jumping, running and arthrosis of the knee joint with severe degeneration are incompatible. They will not be beneficial for lower leg weakness and other muscle imbalances, even at the painless stage 1.

Therefore, any exercises related to running and jumping are recommended to be excluded from your program.

Knee gymnastics according to Bubnovsky

Sergei Bubnovsky's exercises are based on increasing the space between the femur and tibia by stretching and simultaneously strengthening the muscle corset. Strength trainers are block mechanisms with cuffs attached to the limb. The load, which creates a reaction on the block, by stretching reduces the compression of the articular surfaces. Candidate of Medical Sciences Bubnovsky Sergey Mikhailovich has developed a method of treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system with power programs.

The professor who survived hip arthroplasty due to severe trauma of youth rehabilitates people after restorative operations, helps to avoid surgical intervention.

Is it possible to play sports with arthrosis of the cop?

The question is asked by professional athletes who have been diagnosed with arthrosis.

The main source of muscle spasms that disrupt the balance of joint forces is the inability to relax.

Physiotherapy exercises in people who train intensively are aimed at:

• - to correct imbalances;
• - strengthening of stabilizing muscles;
• - stretching and working out tendons and ligaments.

For joint stabilization, therapeutic exercises with a rubber shock absorber are good: the loop clings to the support and at the knee level, extension under resistance is proposed.

Exercising starts with walking on your heels. One-legged squats are encouraged (only for trained athletes) to activate the stabilizing muscles. Walking in a semi-squat with a rubber loop on the hips or good mornings with an expander instead of a barbell. Such gymnastics for the legs strengthens the ligamentous apparatus.

Can an athlete run? In each specific case, a doctor and a rehabilitation coach will tell you what kind of gymnastics a runner or a football player needs and give certain recommendations, since it depends specifically on the physiological characteristics of the patient.

To treat arthrosis of the knee with exercise, you need to know what caused the wear. With a lack of mobility and poor muscle tone, it is necessary, according to the recommendations of Evdokimenko and Bubnovsky, to strengthen the muscles for the blood supply to the cartilage. Physical education for arthrosis of the knee joint even includes squats, both static against the wall and ordinary with a small amplitude.

The opinion of kinesiologists

Kinesiologists are specialists who study muscle movement

Sometimes the muscles just stop working, which violates the biomechanics of walking and exercise technique, and then each step incorrectly loads the pelvis, knee or ankle. It all starts with a crunch, a feeling of improper functioning of the limb, and the result is arthrosis.

When one muscle is turned off, the body literally tilts: forward, backward, or to one side. The brain develops protective compensations - usually on the opposite side, below or above the "disabled muscle", clamps appear to stop the so-called "fall".

• From the position of kinesiologists, exercise therapy (physiotherapy exercises) with arthrosis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree, when the changes are already significant, should be directed not only to the site of localization of the pain syndrome.
• The condition of the neck, back, buttocks, lower leg affects the rotation, abduction or adduction of the femur, which changes the angle of flexion of the knee.
• Therefore, gymnastics with deforming arthroseptic is called upon to correct existing disorders.

For example, when descending a step, the knee of the back leg looks straight, and the foot is turned to the side, this is not natural.

An example of a retraining exercise for arthrosis of the knee is as follows:

put your foot on a step (toes up, heel down) and bend the knee, with an effort of will directing it towards the third toe, repeat regularly for two weeks.

Corrective and retraining exercises for the elderly and young from Egoscue are effective with regular exercises for 3-4 months:

1. Sit on a chair with your knees at a 90-degree angle with the floor. Strengthen the deflection in the lower back, relaxing the abdomen, and bring the shoulder blades together. Clamp the pillow between your thighs and perform 50 slow contractions.
2. Sit on a chair in a similar position, just above the knees, tie an elastic band or a regular belt. Perform 50 hip extensions under resistance. Hands are on the knees, palms up.
3. Sit on the floor against the wall, firmly pressing the buttocks, shoulder blades and back of the head. Relax your shoulders, look in front of you. Legs are straight and toes are pointed at the ceiling, palms are relaxed on the hips. Sit for 3 minutes.

A Vietnam veteran, was paralyzed in the war, but did not give up, but began to fight his illness and look for options to restore his mobility. He succeeded and now he is a successful doctor, with his own clinic. He is also the author of the books "Freedom from Pain"

We do only what is necessary

The aerobic trainer for arthrosis of the knee helps to lose weight, which increases the pressure on the limbs. To tone the buttocks and thighs, an exercise bike will not give the desired result. The way out is to squat against the wall, stretch. Yoga is a good choice for balanced development and increased flexibility; a bicycle is useful if the muscles in the front and back of the thigh are well stretched and there is no spasm in the iliopsoas. Without refurbished

If an exercise bike is painful, many switch to an elliptical trainer. Although it is designed to relieve pressure on the joint when resistance is low, it exacerbates the imbalance in the lumbar region.

Nordic walking- a type of health-improving aerobic training. Studies of knee flexion angles and compression forces on cartilage have shown that there is no difference from walking. Although there were cases of relief when using sticks, which is primarily associated with the normalization of the movement pattern, the inclusion of arms and back in the movement.

Walking with arthrosis of the knee joint really belongs to therapeutic measures, but only after corrective exercises.

Is walking good for you? up the steps? If the foot and knee are unidirectional. Walking up the stairs can be a therapeutic method: the main thing is not to push the knee forward, but to rise at the expense of the buttocks.

Skiing remains a winter type of aerobic exercise for those suffering from osteoarthritis - a classic, not skating course, choosing a prepared ski track.

Causes of gonarthrosis

In the etiology of the disease, the following main reasons are distinguished: hereditary predisposition at the genetic level; old knee injuries; overweight person, causing increased stress on the knee joint; excessive physical activity; violation of metabolic processes as a result of certain diseases, leading to intra-articular deposition of crystals (for example, uric acid); age factor associated with natural degenerative processes.

Pathology treatment

Currently, it is not possible to completely cure gonarthrosis, but it is possible to stop the destruction of tissues and ensure the full working capacity of a person using an integrated approach to treatment. The modern treatment regimen includes the following areas: wearing special knee braces to relieve stress from the medial areas; the appointment of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; diet aimed at losing weight; physiotherapy exercises, including a special set of exercises; taking muscle relaxants; physiotherapy; the introduction of hyaluronic acid to replace the synovial fluid; the use of chondroprotectors; prescribing drugs to normalize blood supply and improve blood rheology; PRP-method based on the introduction of a drug to restore cartilage tissue; surgical treatment if necessary (arthroscopy and joint replacement).

The most important element of treatment is physical exercise for arthrosis of the knee joint, incl. special exercises for the elderly with arthrosis.

General rules

All therapeutic gymnastics schemes include basic rules that prevent overloads and ensure maximum efficiency, but with the main rule - do no harm:

1. All movements are performed smoothly, in slow motion, and their amplitude increases gradually.
2. Exercises are carried out daily.
3. The total duration of physical education during the day should not exceed 35-45 minutes, divided into 3-4 periods of 10-15 minutes each.
4. Rest after each lesson should be at least 4 hours.
5. The number of repetitions of one exercise in the initial period (12-14 days) is no more than 4-5 times, followed by an increase up to 6-10 times, if necessary.
6. Start by relaxing the leg muscles to improve blood flow.
7. After each lesson, rest is provided - in a supine position with relaxed outstretched legs, slightly apart to the side; bending the knees or resting while sitting is not recommended.
8. Good consolidation of therapeutic exercises - light self-massage of the joint and the entire limb for 6-8 minutes.

Remedial gymnastics exercises

In exercise therapy for gonarthrosis, both very simple and more complex exercises are included, depending on the severity of the joint damage.

They are carried out from a different starting position (IP): lying, sitting and standing; moreover, in the lying position on the bed, there can be a PI on the side, back or stomach.

Exercises in a supine position. The most common exercises are exercise therapy performed in the supine position:

1. IP: arms along the body; on inhalation, the arms are raised and retracted slightly back with the simultaneous bending of the feet towards oneself, on exhalation - return to the PI.
2. On inhalation, the knee is pulled up to the stomach on one leg with hands, on exhalation - return to the PI; then the same exercise is performed with the other leg.
3. The legs are bent at the knees with the raising of the pelvis.
4. IP: legs are bent at the knees. First, one leg rises and falls, then the same is done with the other leg.
5. Abduction of one straight leg to the side and return; then the same with the other leg.
6. IP: arms along the body; on inhalation, both arms and leg rise, on exhalation - return to the PI.
7. Repeat with the other leg.
8. Exercise "Bicycle" for 12-15 seconds.
9. Exercise "Scissors" with raised legs for 10-12 seconds.

In the supine position, the exercises are performed first on the left, and then on the right:

1. The lower leg is bent at the knee, and the upper leg in a straight state rises to a height of 25-30 cm.
2. Alternate flexion of the legs at the knee joint.
3. Alternate leg forward and backward.

1. IP: hands under the chin; alternately legs in a straight state rise.
2. On inhalation, the head and top of the body rise without lifting the legs from the surface, on exhalation - return to the PI.
3. Alternate bending of the legs at the knee with lifting the lower limb.
4. Imitation of the movements of the swimmer when swimming in crawl.

Exercise in a seated position (sitting on a chair). You can offer the following exercises (IP - straight back, hands rest on a chair):

1. Leg Swing: Rapidly alternating flexion and extension of the knee.
2. Alternate straightening of the leg to a right angle with fixation in the upper position for 2-3 seconds.
3. Getting up from a chair with raising your arms and quickly returning back.
4. Raising both legs at right angles and spreading them to the side.

Exercises in a standing position are performed using a support on the back of a chair or table. Most often, the following movements are carried out:

1. Hands wrap around the back of the chair; the legs are alternately laid aside as much as possible.
2. IP: standing sideways to the chair, hands on the back; alternate swings with a straight leg forward and backward.

Exercises in the Hatha Yoga system. With gonarthrosis, several exercises are recommended that are part of the Hatha Yoga exercise set:

1. IP: standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms down; tilt of the body with hands reaching the toes with a slight lowering of the body; breathing is even.
2. IP: sitting on your knees, body upright, hands down; it is necessary to smoothly sit on your heels and stay in this state for 1.5-2 minutes.
3. IP: sitting on the floor, legs straight; slow bend without bending the legs, the duration of the exercise is 1.5-2 minutes.

Physical exercise should be combined with outdoor walks, swimming, bath procedures, solarium, and also combined with physiotherapy and therapeutic massage. Be healthy!
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Self-massage technique

As mentioned above, the final stage of each set of exercises should be massage. It promotes the activation of blood flow in the knee joints and accelerates the regeneration processes of the articular cartilage. Ideally, the massage should be done after a warm, relaxing bath or sauna session.

The intensity of the effects directly depends on the individual sensitivity of the tissues (you should not experience pain).

You can ask someone from your family to give you a massage session, or you can do it yourself, based on the following recommendations:

• The first stage is massage of the thigh muscles. The following massage effects replace each other: stroking, squeezing the knuckles of the fists and the edge of the palm, shaking, ring kneading. The manipulations should be repeated 3-4 times each.
• The second stage is massage of the knee joint area: stroking the lateral areas of the joint, rubbing it with the base of the palm both straight and circularly.
• The third, fourth, fifth stages - a less intense and shorter massage of the thigh muscles, then again a knee massage, followed by a thigh massage again.
• The sixth stage - active physical exercises: flexion and extension of the lower extremities in the knee joint 5-7 times, circular movements with the lower leg and foot.
• The final stage is massage of the thigh, and then the knee joint.

Other physiotherapy

In the treatment of osteoarthritis, exercise therapy can be combined with other methods of physiotherapy. The best effect on the joints affected by this disease is electrophoresis, ultrasound radiation, laser and other types of phototherapy. Among the methods of non-traditional treatment, experts recommend hatha yoga.

In a number of diseases, physiotherapy is contraindicated, since it can damage the patient's health. Such diseases are:

• severe cardiovascular disease;
• active form of tuberculosis;
• acute inflammatory processes of any localization;
• oncopathology;
• increased bleeding;
• exhaustion;
• period of pregnancy.

In conclusion of the article, we want to repeat: despite the fact that osteoarthritis is a steadily progressive degenerative disease of the articular cartilage, adequate complex therapy will help to significantly slow down the rate of its development, one of the leading places in which is physical therapy, or exercise therapy. Doing exercises regularly, day in and day out, while observing other recommendations for treatment, you will surely feel the result soon.
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The complexes described below are suitable for people of all ages. The exercises are aimed at solving three problems:

• Improving the blood supply to the affected joint.
• Suspension of the degenerative process.
• Strengthening muscles and ligaments.

They can be performed both at home and in small groups of 3-6 people. It is best to do these complexes under the supervision of an experienced exercise therapy doctor.

Complex 1

1. 1) Take a sitting position on the bed. Close your legs, relax as much as possible. Begin to make slow movements of the limbs in turn. Feet should touch the floor and slide freely on it. Run 7-12 times.
2. 2) Take the position on the bed again, relax all the muscles. As you exhale, pull the knee to the chest, pull the leg with maximum effort. If necessary, you can help with your hands. Do the same with the opposite limb. How to properly perform such gymnastics with arthrosis of the knee joint can be seen in the photo:
3. 3) The initial pose is identical. By counting "one" straighten both legs, strongly pull the socks towards you. On a count of two, return the limbs to their original position. The exercise is repeated several times.
4. 4) Stand up. Legs at shoulder level by count "one" bend to the left knee, press it hard and hold it for 5-10 seconds, by count "two" exhale and return to the original position. Repeat the same with the opposite limb.
5. 5) Sit back on the bed or chair. Legs are spread apart at shoulder level, hands are on the knees. On the count of "one" get out of bed (chair), taking a breath and spreading your arms in opposite directions. On a count of "two" return back to the sitting position. Repeat several times.
6. 6) The starting position is lying down. You can lie on the bed or on the floor. Lower your arms to straighten your legs, all limbs are relaxed. On a count of "one", strongly tighten the muscles of the thighs. Remain in this position for several tens of seconds (20-40), then relax sharply. This exercise helps to relieve hypertonicity of the leg muscles, and this, in turn, helps to remove pain syndrome.

Complex 2

1. 1) Take a lying position. Hands on your knees, legs straightened, relaxed. Press hard on the knee, trying to overcome the resistance of the hand. Then relax and repeat with the opposite leg.
2. 2) Lie down. The legs are bent at the knees. With a leisurely movement, you should spread your legs at the hips in different directions. It is important not to "go too far" with the depth of movement.
3. 3) Lying on a bed or on the floor, you need to bend your knees. According to the "one" count, pull the limbs to the stomach, stay in this position for a few seconds. Then return to the original position.
4. 4) Lie down. Legs are relaxed, straightened. Raise your right leg, lifting it a few centimeters from the ground. Begin to make unhurried circular movements with the limb.
5. 5) Lie on your back. Put your hands behind your head, forming a lock. As you inhale, pull your legs to your chest, pulling the socks towards you as much as possible. On exhalation, return to the starting position.
6. 6) Repeat the same exercise, only this time pull your legs to the chest alternately.
7. 7) The starting position is the same. Slowly bend your knees, press your feet firmly to the floor. While inhaling, lift one leg vertically up. The second should remain in place, then make an identical movement with the other leg.
8. 8) Take an identical position. The legs are straightened. With one leg, make a movement to the right (or left, respectively), trying to move the limb as far as possible in the thigh. Repeat with the other leg.
9. 9) Lying on the floor, raise your arms and legs at the same moment up, linger in this position, taking a deep breath. On exhalation, it is necessary to take the initial lying position.
10. 10) Perform the exercise "bike", rolling the invisible pedals with your feet.
11. 11) Gently lie on your stomach. Put your hands under your head (under your chin). Raise one leg, then the other. The limbs should be straight.
12. 12) Stand up. Lean on the back of a chair. Take the right leg in the thigh to the right to the maximum amplitude. Then do an identical exercise on the other leg.
13. 13) Hold on to the back of the chair. The position is standing. Lean on a chair with one hand, legs are straightened, free. Begin to make light swinging movements back and forth. It is important that the swinging leg is as relaxed as possible.

Complex 3

• 1) Position - standing. Walk in place for five minutes, raising your knees as high as possible. This exercise improves the nutrition of the knee joint due to the blood flow to it.
• 2) Stand on your toes, stand for a few seconds, then roll onto your heels, keeping your balance.
• 3) Make swinging movements of the legs, alternately changing the limbs.

All three complexes are ideal for performing both in the remission phase and in the exacerbation phase. These are the simplest gymnastics exercises for arthrosis of the knee joint. However, simplicity does not make them worse.

Most Effective Exercises

The exercises described below are only suitable for people with arthrosis in remission.

Complex 1

1. 1) Lie on the floor. Arms along the torso, legs straight. Raise your left leg a few centimeters off the ground. Hold in this position for a few seconds, then lower your leg. A feeling of fatigue in the calf muscle is a good indicator.
2. 2) Lie on your stomach. Bend one leg at the knee and raise it above the floor. Hold for 25-40 seconds, then return to the starting position. Do the same with the other leg.
3. 3) Lie on your stomach. Bend both knees. Then raise them above the floor and spread them apart. Now you need to bring your legs just as slowly and return to the starting position. Exercise is difficult to perform, so whether or not to perform it, everyone decides for himself, based on the capabilities of his body.
4. 4) Lie on your side. Bend one leg, straighten the other. Make vertical movements with a straightened leg.

Complex 2

1) Sit on a chair. Alternately raise either the left or the right legs, alternating movements.

2) Stand up. Lean on the back of a chair. On a count of "one" to rise with one foot on the toe. The second remains pinned to the floor. Then roll over to the other leg and do the same.

3) Sitting on a chair, make a light massage of the knees with rotational movements.

It is advisable to perform the exercises of these two complexes at the same time. This will maximize the effect of gymnastics.

On the Internet, there is a description of many gymnastics complexes for arthrosis of the knee joint. But it is not always clear how to do them. There are a number of recommendations:

• 1) Pain should be excluded. If pain occurs while performing any exercise, this is a direct reason to refuse further execution. So the complex is not suitable.
• 2) Do not bother yourself without first consulting your doctor.
• 3) Cramping after exercise is normal.
• 4) Each exercise is performed 7-15 times. It is recommended to start from 2-4 times, gradually increasing the amplitude.
• 5) It is not recommended to start at a forced pace. This is fraught.

Exercise therapy can be an excellent assistant in the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. It is important to approach such a responsible business correctly.

The main tasks of physical therapy (exercise therapy) are to reduce pain and eliminate the symptoms of arthrosis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree. The gymnastic complex improves the general condition of a person, strengthens bones and the cardiovascular system. The main criterion for carrying out gymnastics with arthrosis of the knee is the coordination of the set of exercises with an experienced instructor or attending rheumatologist.

What is the use of physiotherapy exercises

The intensity of recovery in arthrosis of the knee joint of the 2nd degree depends on correctly selected exercises and the patient's dedication. The knee will return to normal faster if exercise therapy is combined with a course of physiotherapy, electrophoresis, mud therapy or hirudotherapy. Physical education is an irreplaceable assistant that has the following effects on the affected area:

• reduces pain;
• increases the joint space;
• improves blood circulation;
• helps in strengthening muscles;
• corrects spinal disorders;
• improves the functions of the respiratory system.

Therapeutic exercises for arthrosis are beneficial if you do it regularly. In this case, the functions of the knee joint are quickly restored even with a grade 2 disease. The disease will not pass without a trace, but it will definitely not progress. The patient will not only avoid surgery or disability, but will completely return to the usual rhythm of life.

Rules for performing exercise therapy

Performing physiotherapy exercises for arthrosis of the 2nd degree (gonarthrosis), you must adhere to the rules that will make exercise therapy for you a pleasant, effective, safe procedure:

1. Maintain a balance between intense stress on the joints and resting time. For cartilage regeneration to be successful, you need to rest your knee every 5-6 hours.
2. Gymnastics will be effective if you do exercises for 30-40 minutes a day, but not in a row, but dividing the time into periods of 10 minutes.
3. Perform movements at the beginning of classes slowly, gradually increasing the amplitude.
4. Perform exercise therapy from 3 times a day, 4-6 repetitions for each exercise.
5. Performing exercise therapy, do not allow strong pressure on the knee, do not ignore painful sensations, make soft movements.
6. After completing a 10-minute gymnastics complex, relax, stretch your legs, lie on your back for a couple of minutes.

A set of exercises

Exercise therapy prevents the development of complications of arthrosis and helps to restore articular activity, preventing further bone deformation. The therapeutic gymnastics program includes a whole range of classes. These are gymnastic tasks that are solved in different body positions, training on special simulators and in water, rehabilitation courses.

With gonarthrosis, an exercise bike, hatha yoga, Pilates, micromovement classes are useful. Only the loads should be minimal, under the supervision of an experienced instructor. It is easy to develop degrading knee muscles with the help of steppers that are installed in orthopedic centers. Their principle of operation is imitation of walking, in which, if necessary, additional load is applied.

Lying on your back

1. Stretch your legs, bend your right knee, lift your right foot, hold your leg for 5-7 seconds, lower it to the starting position. Repeat with your left foot.
2. Bend one leg at the knee, pull it to the stomach as much as possible, hold it for 5-7 seconds, and then lower the foot first to the floor, and then the knee (sliding movements). Repeat the same movements with the other leg.
3. Leg movements that imitate cycling with alternating active phase with a rest period of a few seconds are very effective.
4. To relax the knee joint, bend both legs, trying to touch the buttocks with your heels. Fix for a short while in this position, then take the original pose, relax.
5. Straighten both legs, lift up 15 degrees, make movements that imitate scissors, when the legs alternately rise up and down.

On the belly

1. Lift one leg straight at the knee 30 degrees off the floor, hold for a few seconds, making sure that the gluteal muscles are clamped. The leg muscles are maximally tense, the body is pressed to the floor. Try to breathe evenly. Slowly lower your leg, then do the same with the other leg.
2. Exercise number 1 perform at a fast pace, holding the leg for 1-2 seconds. This will improve blood circulation in the sore knee with arthrosis of the 2nd degree.
3. Raise your straightened arms and legs off the floor. Hold them for 30 seconds, and then very slowly return to the starting position. To strengthen your knee muscles, make the task harder. Slowly move and spread your raised arms and legs.
4. Bend one leg at a right angle, lift off the floor and lock for 30 seconds. The back should not bend, and the stomach should be firmly pressed to the floor. Slowly lower your leg, rest and do the same with the other leg.
5. Perform exercise number 4 at a fast pace, but the movements should be smooth, and the breaks between repetitions should be at least 2 seconds.

1. Grasp the back of a chair, stand on tiptoes, stand for 1 minute. After a few repetitions and rest, do the exercise again in a more dynamic version. Knee joints should be tense and kept straight.
2. Standing near the back of a chair, lean on your heels, lock in for 1 minute. Repeat the exercise in a more dynamic way.
3. Perform smooth transitions from toe to heel while standing near the back of the chair. With arthrosis of the 2nd degree, this exercise activates blood circulation.
4. Grasp the back of a chair with both hands. Take your straight legs to the sides in turn. Movements should be as slow as possible to strengthen the knee muscles.
5. Turn sideways to the back of the chair, grab it with one hand. Perform alternately forward and backward swings with straight legs.

Sitting on a chair

1. Perform exercise therapy while sitting on a chair with a straight back. Place your hands on your knees and lock. Tighten and relax your thigh muscles while keeping your knee joints still.
2. The starting position is the same. Grasp the seat of the chair with your hands. Raise your straightened legs, spread them in different directions, then bring them together again and lower them to the starting position.
3. In a sitting position, straighten both legs, try to touch the floor with your hands without bending your knee joints.
4. Bend and unbend the knee joints of each leg in turn, fixing the straightened leg at the top for a few seconds.
5. In the same position, in turn, pull one leg to the stomach, then the other, bending at the knee.
6. Put both legs on the floor, then spread them to the side to the width of your feet, get up from the chair, spread your arms. Return to the starting position after 2-3 seconds.

Exercise therapy in water

Exercise therapy in water is a complete replacement for therapeutic exercises. When using this unique development, the specificity of the impact of the aquatic environment on the human body is taken into account, because hydrostatic pressure accelerates the flow of blood to the joints, improving metabolism. Classes in the pool are shown to those people who experience pain, doing exercise therapy under normal conditions. Here are some exercises:

1. Walk slowly along the bottom of the pool, bending and unbending your knees for 3-5 minutes.
2. Alternately bending your legs back, try to touch your buttocks with your heels.
3. Slowly walking through the pool, do partial squats (up to 30 times) to keep your face above the surface of the water.
4. Swim in any style and use your legs as much as possible.

Contraindications

Exercise therapy for arthrosis of the knee should be carried out strictly during the period of remission. If the patient has an exacerbation of the disease, then any load on the knee should be discarded. Therapeutic gymnastics also has contraindications:

• acute chronic diseases;
• serious injuries;
• violation of cerebral and coronary circulation;
• increased body temperature;
• bleeding;
• swelling of the knee joint;
• severe cardiovascular disease;
• postoperative period;
• any hernia.

In addition to contraindications, any movements that cause sharp pain are prohibited, therefore, with arthrosis of the knee, it is forbidden to squat hard, walk a lot, do exercises in jerks and put great efforts on them. If during exercise therapy the patient has exacerbated any chronic disease, then gymnastics should be abandoned for at least a week.

Medical gymnastics video lessons

Exercise therapy helps to increase the effectiveness of the treatment of the disease. But what about those who do not have the opportunity to visit swimming pools, rehabilitation centers, work with a personal trainer? Take advantage of the choice of several video tutorials below, which you can download to your computer, and then practice with them professionally at home. Just be sure to monitor the physical condition of the knee, with the slightest pain during exercise, give it up immediately.

How to relieve pain in knee joints - Muslim Dzhamaldinov

Osteoarthritis of the knee occurs during prolonged heavy physical exertion, from being overweight or after serious knee injuries. To remove pain, you need to completely change your lifestyle: adhere to a salt-free diet, part with extra pounds, give up heavy physical labor, and regularly engage in therapeutic exercises. Watch the video in which the head of the sports rehabilitation department M. Dzhamaldinov shows a course of exercises that relieve pain:

Exercises by Sergei Bubnovsky

Among the leading Russian specialists who successfully treat arthrosis of the knee of the 2nd degree, Doctor Bubnovsky Sergey Mikhailovich stands out. The "highlight" of his therapeutic exercises is walking on his knees, which may seem painful to patients. But with such therapy, there is also protection - a homemade knee pad, for the manufacture of which crushed ice should be poured into dense tissue. The doctor also has other unique techniques. Watch a video showing Bubnovsky's gymnastics:

Healing gymnastics Dr. Evdokimenko

The famous rheumatologist Pavel Valerievich Evdokimenko knows everything about the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint. He has written more than 10 books on this common disease, and their circulation has already exceeded half a million. The doctor offers everyone his own gymnastics complex, which he created as a result of successful many years of practice. Watch a video showing gymnastics for arthrosis of the knee joint according to Evdokimenko:

Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis) of the knee joint is a chronic disease consisting in the degeneration of the articular cartilage and its gradual destruction. It is impossible to completely get rid of this pathology - no drugs and procedures will help to finally restore the structure of the cartilage. However, almost everyone is able to slow the progression of osteoarthritis - you should regularly undergo courses of treatment with appropriate drugs, in addition to which physiotherapy methods should be used, one of which is therapeutic exercises, or exercise therapy.

From our article you will learn about the basic rules of exercise therapy and familiarize yourself with some of the exercises that should be performed by the patient in order to alleviate his condition.

Exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee joints: what you need to know

Physical therapy is useful without exacerbation of osteoarthritis.

Therapeutic gymnastics for this disease is carried out in order to strengthen the musculo-ligamentous apparatus of the knee joint, without loading the joint itself. It is for this reason that the vast majority of exercises in the complex are performed from a lying position or sitting on a chair.

It is allowed to engage in physiotherapy exercises only if the disease is in remission - there is no redness, synovitis and severe pain in the area of ​​the affected joints. If signs of inflammation are present (osteoarthritis in the acute stage), you should first undergo a course of anti-inflammatory therapy in a hospital or on an outpatient basis, and only then exercise.

Not all exercises are approved for use by a particular patient. So, before starting classes, you should visit your doctor-general practitioner, rheumatologist or arthrologist. Only a specialist will give the go-ahead for the entire exercise therapy complex or will prohibit certain exercises.

During classes, you should not experience pain, and even more so you should not tolerate them. If pain still appears, you should stop training, and during the next, reduce the number of repetitions. In the case when even after these actions the pain persists, it will not be superfluous to seek the advice of a specialist.

Exercises should be performed regularly - 2-3 repetitions daily, without gaps. Only this approach will help you feel the result. The flip side of the coin is overload. Don't think that high reps will get you closer to your goal faster. In this way, you will only make yourself worse - the disease will worsen or the degenerative process will accelerate.

Improvement today, tomorrow and even in a week of daily exercises should not be expected - do not indulge yourself with illusions ... After all, the joints have been damaged and destroyed over the years, and it also takes enough time to at least partially restore the cartilage tissue. In parallel with the exercise therapy, follow other recommendations for the treatment of osteoarthritis: exclude increased dynamic loads on the knees (working in the garden while kneeling is not at all for you), take regular measures to strengthen the whole body - walking in the fresh air, restorative exercises. In no case listen to "good" advice that the best cure for osteoarthritis is exercise for the knee joints in the form of walking on all fours. This is just a huge load on the knees, as a result of which the osteoarthritis will worsen even more.

If you are obese, you should start therapy for osteoarthritis not with exercise therapy, but with weight loss. Excess weight significantly increases the load on the knee joints, and until you normalize it, alas, you will not get a significant effect from remedial gymnastics.

Lesson rules

• Work out in comfortable sportswear and sneakers in size, with a 2 to 3 cm thick solid rubber sole and a soft elastic upper. Experts do not recommend barefoot training, as this increases the risk of foot injury.
• Each exercise should be performed smoothly, without jerking, focusing on the sensations in the sore knee.
• Raising and lowering the leg, imagine how blood rushes to the affected joint and nourishes it with oxygen and other necessary substances, as a result of which it is restored.
• Relax your limb at the beginning of your workout. This will improve blood flow to the knee, making the exercise easier.
• They begin a course of exercise therapy with simple exercises, and as they get used to such a load, they introduce more complex ones into the training.
• Each exercise is first performed slowly and with a low amplitude, gradually increasing these indicators.
• As mentioned above, it is necessary to allocate 30-40 minutes for classes every day, but not in one approach, but dividing them into 2-3 for 10-15-20 minutes. Between approaches, the joint needs rest for 4-6 hours - so much time is needed for the regeneration of the damaged cartilage to be completed successfully.
• When the set of exercises is completed, it is recommended to lie down for a while with extended legs and relax. In addition, you can massage or self-massage the area of ​​the knee joints, the method of which we will describe below.

Knee arthrosis: a set of exercises

1. Starting position (hereinafter - IP) - lying on the floor face down, legs straight, arms along the body. Smoothly raise one leg, without bending it, 15-20 cm from the floor, freeze for half a minute, calmly lower it, relax for 10-15 seconds. Do the same with the other leg. Repetitions of this exercise are not required, that is, the frequency of execution is 1 time.
2. PI is similar to the first exercise. Smoothly raise one straightened leg to a height of 15 cm, hold it for a few seconds, lower it back to the floor. Rest for 1-2 seconds. Perform 10-20 times with each leg in turn.
3. IP - lying on his stomach, arms extended along the body. One leg is straight, the other is bent at the knee 90 °. Gently lift the second leg, without unbending it at the joint, 10-15 cm from the floor and freeze for half a minute, gently lower the leg, straightening it. Relax. Repeat with the other leg. The repetition rate is 1 time.
4. SP is similar to exercise 3. It should be performed in the same way, but with a pause of not half a minute, but only for 1-2 seconds. With the limb down, relax for a couple of seconds and repeat 10 times with each leg.
5. IP - lying on your back with straight legs and arms extended along the body. Slowly raise your legs, without bending them, 10 cm from the floor, gently spread them to the sides, then bring them together. Do not lower your feet to the floor, but repeat your actions 8-10 times. Lower your legs. Relax. If you are having trouble doing this exercise, skip it.
6. IP - lying on its side with the lower leg bent at the knee. Gently lift your upper leg 45 ° from the floor, hold it in this position for half a minute, gently lower it, relax. Roll over to the other side and repeat the exercise with the other leg.
7. IP - sitting on a chair, legs bent at the knees at right angles. Smoothly straighten your knee and lift it above the horizontal plane - as much as possible. Freeze for half a minute to a minute, carefully lower your leg into the PI. Relax. Repeat the exercise for the other leg. The frequency of the exercise is 2-3 times for each limb.
8. IP - standing, slightly touching the back of the chair in front. Rise on your toes and stay in this position for 60 seconds, and then smoothly return to the PI. The repetition rate is 1 time.
9. SP and the technique of execution is similar to exercise 8, but you should linger, standing on your toes, only for a few seconds. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.
10. The PI is the same as the PI in the previous exercise. As much as possible, rise on the toe of one leg (the other stands on the floor with all your foot), slowly change the position to the opposite, then "roll" back. Repeat these steps for 60 seconds.
11. PI - similar to the three previous exercises. Raise your toes and the entire forefoot as high as possible while maintaining support on your heels. Freeze for 1 minute, smoothly return to the IP.
12. SP and the execution technique are the same, but you should freeze in an elevated position for only a few seconds, then relax for a moment and repeat the exercise. The repetition rate is 10-15.
13. IP - sitting on a couch or bed, with his left leg straightened in front of him and his right leg lowered. Make a half turn of the body to the left, placing your hands on the knee of the straightened leg. As you exhale, bend forward three times, pressing on the knee, as if trying to straighten it. Return to IP. Repeat with the right leg.
14. IP - sitting on the bed, legs straightened, hands on knees. Tighten the muscles of the thighs as much as possible, leave them in this state for half a minute, relax. Repeat 15-20 times. When the thigh muscles are in tension, the popliteal fossa should be pressed against the bed.

Self-massage technique

As mentioned above, the final stage of each set of exercises should be. It promotes the activation of blood flow in the knee joints and accelerates the regeneration processes of the articular cartilage. Ideally, massage should be performed after a warm relaxing bath or.

The intensity of the effects directly depends on the individual sensitivity of the tissues (you should not experience pain).

You can ask someone from your family to give you a massage session, or you can do it yourself, based on the following recommendations:

• The first stage is massage of the thigh muscles. The following massage effects replace each other: stroking, squeezing the knuckles of the fists and the edge of the palm, shaking, ring kneading. The manipulations should be repeated 3-4 times each.
• The second stage is massage of the knee joint area: stroking the lateral areas of the joint, rubbing it with the base of the palm both straight and circularly.
• The third, fourth, fifth stages - a less intense and shorter massage of the thigh muscles, then again a knee massage, followed by a thigh massage again.
• The sixth stage - active physical exercises: flexion and extension of the lower extremities in the knee joint 5-7 times, circular movements with the lower leg and foot.
• The final stage is massage of the thigh, and then the knee joint.

Other physiotherapy for arthrosis of the knee joints

In the treatment of osteoarthritis, exercise therapy can be combined with other methods of physiotherapy. Other types of phototherapy work best on the joints affected by this disease. Among the methods of non-traditional treatment, experts recommend hatha yoga.

In a number of diseases, physiotherapy is contraindicated, since it can damage the patient's health. Such diseases are:

• severe cardiovascular disease;
• active form of tuberculosis;
• acute inflammatory processes of any localization;
• oncopathology;
• increased bleeding;
• exhaustion;
• period of pregnancy.

In conclusion of the article, we want to repeat: despite the fact that osteoarthritis is a steadily progressive degenerative disease of the articular cartilage, adequate complex therapy will help to significantly slow down the rate of its development, one of the leading places in which is physical therapy, or exercise therapy. Doing exercises regularly, day in and day out, while observing other recommendations for treatment, you will surely feel the result soon.

Video of a set of exercises for the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joints.