ARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE
ADVICE AND EXERCISES
1) Try to avoid being overweight.
2) Try to vary daily activity to avoid sitting, standing or walking for long periods.
3) Try to avoid going up and down stairs several times a day e.g. wash, dress and make the bed before you go down for breakfast.
4) Try to avoid carrying heavy weights e.g. the whole weeks shopping in one go!
5) Try to wear sensible shoes that support your feet and have low heels.
6) If your knees are very painful you can either try:
i) ICE PACKS: wrap a bag of frozen peas in a DAMP teatowel (it must be damp to avoid ice burns) and put this on your knee for 10 to 15 minutes. You can do this 2 or 3 times a day.
or
ii) HEAT: a hot water bottle wrapped in a DRY towel (try to protect your skin from burns). Use this for about 15 minutes.
You will need to experiment with the heat and ice as some people find ice gives better pain relief and some find heat best. Use whichever gives the greatest relief from pain.
EXERCISES
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1) Lying on your back with your weight supported on your forearms or leaning propped against pillows: keep the knee straight, pull your foot up towards you, and tighten the thigh muscle by pressing the back of the knee down onto the floor or bed, hold for 3 seconds then relax. Repeat 10 times then rest. Do 30 in all
2) Lying in the same position as in exercise 1. Place a small rolled up towel
under the back of the knee, pull your foot up and straighten your knee lifting your heel from the floor/ bed (keep the back of the knee on the towel). Hold for 3 econds then relax. Repeat 10 times then rest. Do 30 in all.
3) Lying in the same position as exercise 1. Pull your foot up towards you, keeping your knee straight, tighten your thigh muscle and raise your leg about 2 Inches off the bed/floor hold for 3 seconds then lower and relax. Repeat 10 times. Do 30 in all.THESE EXERCISES SHOULD BE DONE 2 OR 3 TIMES A DAY