By: Joe Kozma
March 23, 2014
Weight Training for Mobility Reduces Knee Arthritis Pain – Fort Lauderdale Personal Training
One unfortunate fact about growing older is that nothing works as well as it used to. It takes longer to do a lot of things, and your days of gleefully doing cartwheels and somersaults on the front lawn are long over. In fact, for many older Americans, just going for a daily walk or puttering around the house can be painful on the knees.
Knee Arthritis Pain is Common
For many people – even seasoned athletes in their 30s and 40s – knee pain due to cartilage degeneration is caused by a lack of strength in the quadriceps muscles. Since the quads control movement of the kneecap in the groove where it sits above the femur, weakness in the quads can cause the kneecap to start moving off-track, hitting and pinching the cartilage on the femur and wearing it down over time. This wearing-down or degenerative process is largely responsible for knee arthritis pain.
If you suffer from knee arthritis, know that there is more you can do about it than take anti-inflammatory medications and go in for surgical procedures which, due to the long recovery period, may limit your mobility even further in the long run. Even if you have suffered with arthritis pain for many years, weight training exercises for mobility can strengthen the quads, essentially lifting your kneecaps back up into place and away from the pinched cartilage that is causing your knee pain. Recommended exercises for beginners include leg press and quad extension exercises performed at a gym or other fitness center. Done faithfully under the guidance of a trained professional, these exercises will help to reduce pain and restore function in your lower extremities.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is very effective in treating both chronic knee pain from arthritis and acute knee pain from strains, impacts and strains. Click to learn more about acupuncture and acupuncture for knee pain.
Joe at Fort Lauderdale Personal Training is committed to helping seniors in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding areas to maintain strength through functional movement exercises and active recovery from acute and chronic orthopedic conditions. For more information on how we can help you live the happiest, healthiest, fullest life possible, contact today.
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