Musculoskeletal pain is common and restricts activity. Unfortunately, it can weaken the muscles and joints in the affected area. This can prolong pain and elevate the risk for future injury. So, what kind of exercises are best for improving knee strength with knee osteoarthritis?
There are two types of muscle activity that can occur during exercise: eccentric and concentric. During bench press, when you’re pushing the barbell upward, the muscles in the chest shorten in a concentric motion. As you bring the bar downward, your pectoralis muscles lengthen, which is an eccentric motion.
Osteoarthritis Study
A 2019 study involved 54 seniors with knee osteoarthritis and investigated which of the two phases builds better strength for the knee. Would it be the concentric/muscle shortening phase or the eccentric/muscle lengthening phase of muscle activity? Participants were split into three groups: concentric resistance, eccentric resistance, or control group – no exercise/wait-list group. The two exercise groups received 4 months of supervised exercise training. They use traditional weight machines with proper set-ups and instructions that emphasized the concentric or eccentric phase of the exercise.
Every week, participants completed questionnaires to measure knee pain and disability. The researchers recorded the maximum weight each subject could lift with respect to knee flexion, knee extension, and leg press.
The results showed both exercise groups experienced strength increases in comparison to the control group. The eccentric resistance group achieved greater gains on the leg press and knee flexion exercises, but not for knee extension. Both exercise groups reported less pain and disability than the control group. In conclusion, both types of resistance training effectively improved leg strength, pain, and function.
Conclusion
This study is a great example of the benefits that exercise can offer for an elderly population suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Chiropractors often prescribe exercises for patients with knee pain. In addition to providing manual therapies, modalities, knee braces, and foot orthotics, as well as dietary and nutritional counseling for inflammation reduction and pain management purposes. Before jumping to a total knee arthroplasty replacement, you owe it to yourself to seek less invasive management strategies first.
