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United States
- Glossary
- | Contact Us
- | FAQ
- | Site Index
- Your Knee Anatomy
- Staying active
- Medication for Knee Pain
- Lifestyle Modifications for Knee Treatment
- How your doctor chooses treatment
- SUPARTZ® Joint Fluid Therapy
- Knee arthoscopy
- Knee replacement
- Knee replacement for women
- Knee revision surgery
Lifestyle Modifications for Knee Treatment
What are non-surgical lifestyle modifications for the Knee?
Exercise and physical therapy
Bracing can help manage arthritis
There are a number of non-surgical lifestyle modifications that your physician may prescribe to control the symptoms of arthritis.
Sometimes the best way to control the symptoms of arthritis in the knee is by losing weight. Losing weight means that you will be reducing the amount of stress on your weight-bearing joints, including the knees, hips, spine and feet. It is also a good idea to avoid activities that can aggravate the knee and opt for low-impact exercise activities.
To improve the strength and flexibility of the knee, exercise and physical therapy may be prescribed. The exercise program could include stretching, riding a stationary bike and light weight training. Various aquatic activities are also effective in treating arthritis since they allow mild resistance while removing the weight-bearing stresses.
To provide external stability to the knee a brace may be useful. Whether they are made of plastic, metal, leather or foam, braces are designed to stabilize the joint, reduce pain and inflammation and strengthen the muscles. The brace also causes the joint to realign by putting pressure on the sides of the joint. This decreases the contact between the bone surfaces and increases mobility while reducing pain.