If you are struggling with knee pain due to arthritis, this exercise can help

From indianexpress.com 

Those who biked or cycled at any point in their lives were significantly less likely to develop knee pain and even knee pain associated with arthritis, a study has found

For people with arthritis, especially osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, knee pain is a frequent companion. This pain arises from inflammation in the knee joint. The body’s immune system mistakenly perceives the joint as injured or infected, triggering inflammation that leads to swelling, warmth, and discomfort.

However, a recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise offers hope. Researchers analysed data from over 2,600 people in their 60s and discovered a surprising benefit of cycling. Those who biked or cycled at any point in their lives were significantly less likely to develop knee pain (17% less) and even knee pain associated with arthritis (21% less).

The takeaway, researchers mentioned, is that engaging in cycling, whether outdoors or in spinning classes, could be a powerful tool for preventing knee arthritis and the pain it brings.

Dr Vinay Kumaraswamy, Consultant-Orthopaedics, Fortis Hospital, Rajaji Nagar, explained cycling offers several benefits that help fight arthritis and knee pain.

“The low-impact nature of cycling minimises stress on joints compared to activities like running. This reduces wear and tear, and the continuous pedalling motion increases the production of synovial fluid, a lubricant crucial for healthy joints,” Dr Kumaraswamy explained, adding that other studies also suggest that people who cycled throughout their lives were less likely to develop knee arthritis, highlighting its protective effects.

What are the benefits of cycling?

Cycling is a fantastic exercise with numerous advantages, explained Dr Kumaraswamy.

• It strengthens leg muscles that support and stabilize your knees, hips, and ankles. This improved stability reduces pressure on joints.
• Cycling also boosts cardiovascular health, improves lung function, and aids in weight management, all factors that contribute to joint health.

The American Council on Exercise recommends moderate-intensity cycling for at least 150 minutes or vigorous-intensity cycling for 75 minutes spread throughout the week.

How can you protect yourself from arthritis?

Protecting yourself from arthritis involves a multi-pronged approach, explained Dr Kumaraswamy. Maintaining a healthy weight is key, as excess weight puts extra strain on joints. Regular exercise, like cycling, strengthens muscles and improves joint flexibility.

A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provides essential nutrients for joint health. Consider including foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fitness/knee-pain-arthritis-cycling-benefits-9358813/

Biking May Be The Best Exercise To Prevent Knee Pain And Arthritis, Study Finds

From stamfordhealth.org

Of all the sports I recommend to patients with knee pain, cycling is paramount. Unlike high-impact activities, like running, cycling spares and may even strengthen your knees.

An observational study associated a lifetime of bicycling with less damage to and pain in the knee joint than a lifetime of running. This doesn’t mean you have to be a lifelong cyclist to enjoy better knee health. According to the study, people who cycled at any point in their life were 17% less likely than non-cyclists to develop knee pain and 21% less likely to develop arthritis with pain in the knee joint.

This is especially good news for middle-aged and older adults who believe they must limit or stop exercising for fear of aggravating knee pain due to conditions such as osteoarthritis. The fact is, immobility tends to worsen knee stiffness and pain, and eventually weakens the knee, which is why I tell my patients with arthritis to keep moving and urge them to try cycling.

The knee joint is like a baby sapling. As it grows, it needs supportive cables. In terms of your knees, these “cables” are the surrounding muscles — including the gluteus or buttock muscles and quadriceps – which support the hips and knees. This critical muscular support helps the knees to do all the things they’re supposed to do. Without strong muscular support, the knees won’t function normally.

Biking protects your knees because it builds these surrounding muscles without jarring the knee like running does. It also puts your knees through the range of motion that all joints need, even when they’re repairing. Motion stimulates and increases the natural lubrication around the knee cartilage, which in turn, decreases inflammation and stiffness.

That’s why I encourage all patients to cycle, even those with chondromalacia (wearing of the cartilage) or knee replacements. Cycling is great training for the muscles, as well as the cardiovascular system. Its therapeutic benefits are so substantial that marathon runners and triathletes commonly take a “recovery” bike ride after a big race.

Haven’t ridden a bike recently? If you cycled as a youngster, then your leg and knee muscles are probably still strong. Consider that most of the participants in the study, who ranged in age from 45 to 79 years, did their cycling when they were 12-to-18 years old, but maintained strong quadriceps even though they may have stopped cycling.

Tips for new cyclists:

If you’re returning to cycling after many years or are new to the sport, then here are some precautions you should consider: 

• Make sure your bike fits your build. If a bike is too big for small, the seat is too high, or you must stretch too far to reach the handlebars, then you'll put too much pressure on your back, hips, and knees. 
• Get comfortable cycling by practicing on an indoor bike. You might even try a spin class. Ask the instructor to show you how the bike should fit.
• Buy a bicycle helmet. Adjust the straps so it fits snuggly and does not bounce around.
• Make sure you have appropriate protective eyewear.
• Consider wearing shoes that clip onto your bike pedals. This will help you to engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus muscles by allowing you to pull up in addition to pushing down.

If you’re a first-time cyclist, then you may want to try riding a hybrid-style bike. The tires on hybrids are thicker than those on road bikes, but thinner than those on mountain bikes. The handlebars are sturdy, and the seats come in styles for males or females.

As you do for any exercise, develop a gentle, thorough stretching routine for your hip flexors, neck, and IT (iliotibial) band, the thick band of fibrous tissue that runs along the outside of your leg, to prepare them for maintaining one position for an extended period.

Also, stay hydrated and fuelled. When you’re cycling, the breeze that hits you can fool you into believing that you’re not sweating or getting tired. Be sure to take breaks to drink water or other healthy liquids and eat a healthy snack.

Whether you’re in your teens, 20s, or heading toward retirement, bicycling is a great way to keep your knees and the rest of your body healthy and strong.

https://www.stamfordhealth.org/healthflash-blog/orthopedics-and-sports-medicine/biking-best-exercise-knees-2024/ 

Biking Associated With Less Knee Pain and Arthritis Later in Life, Study Finds

From prevention.com

Experts explain the science behind the findings 

• Biking is associated with less knee pain and arthritis, according to a recent study.
• Researchers found that the more time a person spent bicycling in their lifetime, the less likely they were to have knee pain and signs of osteoarthritis later in life.
• Physical therapists explain what exercise may be best for your knees.

As we age, it’s essential to incorporate exercises that are low impact and easy on joints, especially if you struggle with arthritis pain. New research shows that a particular workout may help prevent knee pain and arthritis altogether: biking.

A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked at how bicycling over a lifetime impacts knee pain and arthritis. This was a retrospective study within the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), where researchers investigated over 2,600 OAI participants in their 60s with complete data on bicycling, knee pain, and x-ray evidence of knee osteoarthritis.

Participants filled out a self-administered questionnaire to classify bicycling during four time periods throughout a participant’s lifetime (ages 12-18, 19-34, 35-49, and > 50 years old). They researchers used this information to evaluate the effect of prior bicycling (any history of biking, history for each time period, number of periods cycling) on three outcomes at the 48-month OAI visit. The three outcomes were frequent knee pain, x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis, and symptomatic osteoarthritis.

Results showed that people who biked at any point in their lives were 17% less likely to develop knee pain, and 21% less likely to develop arthritis with pain in the knee joint, than those who did not. Even more, researchers found that the more time people spent biking, the less likely they were to have knee pain and signs of osteoarthritis later in life. The study also suggests that the exercise may help build muscle around the knees without jarring the joints—which could happen with activities like running.

So, how may biking specifically prevent knee pain and arthritis? Since it is a low-impact activity, it puts less stress on the knee joints compared to high-impact exercises like running, says Alex Aksanov, P.T., D.P.T., M.H.S., founder of Stay Active Physical Therapy. “This helps avoid wear and tear on the knee joints,” he explains. Biking also promotes joint mobility by keeping the knee joint moving throughout its full range of motion, which helps maintain flexibility and prevent stiffness often associated with arthritis, Aksanov points out.

Additionally, biking aids in the circulation of synovial fluid within the knee joint, says Aksanov. “Synovial fluid lubricates the joint, reducing friction and providing essential nutrients to the cartilage, which helps in preventing the degeneration associated with arthritis.” Lastly, Aksanov notes that the rhythmic and low-impact nature of biking can help nourish the cartilage by promoting the flow of nutrients and oxygen. “This helps in maintaining the health of the cartilage, which is crucial for joint health,” he explains.

Biking also strengthens the muscles around the knees, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles, says Aksanov. “Stronger muscles help stabilize and support the knee joint, reducing the risk of injury and easing the strain on the joints.” Aksanov continues: “The resistance encountered while pedalling, whether from the bike’s gears or terrain, provides a consistent workload for the muscles. This resistance forces the muscles to work harder and leads to muscle hypertrophy and growth over time.”

But, the muscle-building powers of bicycling are only as impactful as how hard you’re pedalling, says Karena Wu, P.T., D.P.T., clinical director and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy. Biking can build muscles in the leg joint if the resistance is high enough, she explains. “If you have to push hard on the pedals and move at a specific rate (i.e. not very slow), you will contract the muscles more, which will build muscle strength around the knee joint,” she says.

When it comes to biking versus running, there’s no contest when it comes to the best exercise for your knees. Biking is low-impact, and places less stress on the joints, offering a smooth, controlled motion that maintains joint health without excessive strain, says Aksanov. “The resistance in biking can be adjusted to ensure balanced muscle engagement, avoiding imbalances that might contribute to knee pain.”

In contrast, running is a high-impact activity where each stride subjects the knees to significant force, increasing the risk of knee pain and injuries such as runner’s knee, Aksanov explains. “While running strengthens knee supporting muscles and burns more calories, its repetitive impact can lead to wear and tear on knee cartilage.” Overall, biking poses a lower risk of knee injuries and promotes joint mobility and flexibility, making it a better option for individuals with knee pain, Aksanov advises.

The bottom line

This study suggests that biking, over the long term, may be associated with less breakdown and wear and tear in the knee joints, says Wu. “This has been demonstrated as less reported complaints of knee pain, less evidence of knee osteoarthritis on [x-rays], and less symptomatic arthritis on [x-rays].” These results are important for individuals to know so that they can try to avoid knee issues in the future and understand another benefit of this type of exercise, Wu explains.

Overall, the study underscores the importance of regular physical activity and suggests that incorporating bicycling into one’s routine can be a proactive measure to support long-term knee health and a reduction of osteoarthritis, Aksanov adds.

Still, while biking can be a fantastic activity for individuals to prevent knee pain and arthritis, it’s essential for individuals to listen to their bodies, start gradually, and consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice and recommendations, says Aksanov.

https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a61019556/biking-less-knee-pain-arthritis-later-in-life-study/