Moving Lives, Shaping Futures | The Arthritis Movement>About Arthritis>Arthritis Insights>Keeping Active>Exercises To Manage Knee Pain
Knee pain has a number of different causes. Whatever the cause, exercise and keeping to a healthy weight can reduce symptoms.
The knee joint is where the thigh and shin bones meet. The end of each bone is covered with cartilage, which allows the ends of the bones to move against each other almost without friction.
The knee joint has two extra pieces of cartilage called menisci, which spread the load more evenly across the knee. The knee joint is held in place by four large ligaments.
These are thick, strong bands which run within or just outside the joint capsule. Together with the capsule, the ligaments prevent the bones moving in the wrong directions or dislocating.
The thigh muscles (quadriceps) also help to hold the knee joint in place.
There are many different causes of knee pain.
A common cause is osteoarthritis, a condition that affects the body’s joints. The surfaces within the joint are damaged so the joint doesn’t move as smoothly as it should.
Your doctor will be able to tell you what has caused your pain, but the information and exercises here will be relevant for most cases.
Always talk to your doctor and/or health professional before starting an exercise program. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can suggest safe exercises and make sure you are doing your exercises correctly.
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