Water Workouts
Swimming is a great exercise. Because of the water's buoyancy, the body weight's impact on the joints is lessened, making exercise easier. Once the joints start
to open up and become flexible, one can then move to land exercises, as they are more effective in providing long-term pain control and improved activities. Patients with higher obesity are more suitable for aquatic exercise.
Static Cycling Benefit
Static cycling provides another low-impact exercise option. It helps regain joint flexibility and strength. It is important to emphasize improving the affected joints’ range of motion and flexibility for individuals with upper limb Osteoarthritis. Furthermore, for those with lower limb osteoarthritis, it is crucial to concentrate on enhancing muscle strength and body stability.
Floor Aerobics
Floor exercises, especially aerobic ones, are frequently used by Osteoarthritis patients. Low-intensity aerobic exercise had a better therapeutic effect in patients with severe Osteoarthritis, while high-intensity aerobic exercise had a better therapeutic effect in patients with mild Osteoarthritis. Continuous exercise for more than 12 weeks is generally recommended to relieve decreased muscle strength and muscle atrophy associated with Osteoarthritis.
Strength Training
Strength training is highly effective in boosting muscle strength. Neuromuscular training is the most effective training method to relieve Osteoarthritis pain. These methods can also improve the physical function of Osteoarthritis patients and have a significant impact on their psychological status. It is also suggested to formulate a unique exercise prescription for each patient with Osteoarthritis based on the FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type) principle i.e. Exercise frequency, Exercise intensity, Exercise time & Exercise type.
New Intervention Methods
New intervention methods such as virtual reality and sports games have been gradually used to improve people’s physical and psychological conditions. Pain relief can be obtained only after 8–11 weeks of exercise therapy. Therefore, we should formulate individualized exercise prescriptions according to the degree of lesion and needs of Osteoarthritis patients.
