Both Swimnastics and Walking Reduce Knee Pain and Increase Knee Function in Those with Knee Arthritis

How to do Your Own Home 6 Week "Spa Program" for Your Joints!

In some sufferers, knee and/or hip arthritis is so severe that it hurts to walk—even though walking would help decrease the pain in the long term. This study showed that walking in a pool (and many communities with a local pool, fitness club or YWCA that offers low cost swimnastic programs) was even more effective at reducing pain than regular walking. So this offers a way to get well even if you are in too much pain to walk.

In addition, natural remedies can dramatically decrease most kinds of arthritis pain and improve function. I recommend that those with arthritis pain begin with the following program to heal your joints while also walking:

1. Nourish your joints by taking:
   
   1. A good multivitamin powder.
   2. Glucosamine Sulfate 750 mg 2x/day.
   3. MSM 2500 mg/day.
2. Turn off inflammation with:
   
   1. An herbal supplement that provides relief for muscle pain (with boswellia and white willow bark; or Curcumin, boswellia, nattokinase, and DLPA)
   2. If you have inflammatory arthritis (red, swollen joints, as in rheumatoid arthritis), add fish oil as well (1 teaspoon or 3 capsules 2-3 times a day for 6 weeks then once a day).

Do the above for 6 weeks (they can be taken with your prescription pain medications. If you are on the blood thinner Coumadin, however, consult with a holistic physician before taking these or any herbals). After 6 weeks, you will be amazed at how much better you feel, and though I would stay on the vitamin powder forever, you can lower the dose of the other therapies as able if you'd like. Add the exercise. If you have decreased flexibility, put heat (I like herbal "beanbags" that can be heated in the microwave) on the affected joints. After 5-10 minutes in the heat, slowly and gently move the joints as able to reclaim your full range of motion. Do this 2-3 times a day till your joints are limber.

This program is like a 6 week spa for your joints. You'll love how the pain goes away, and you'll get your life back!

Hydrotherapy Versus Conventional Land-Based Exercise for the Management of Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Luciana E Silva, Valeria Valim, Ana Paula C Pessanha, Leda M Oliveira, Samira Myamoto, Anamaria Jones and Jamil Natour

Background and Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrotherapy in subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee compared with subjects with OA of the knee who performed land-based exercises.

Subjects and Methods: Sixty-four subjects with OA of the knee were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups that performed exercises for 18 weeks: a water-based exercise group and a land-based exercise group. The outcome measures included a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain in the previous week, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), pain during gait assessed by a VAS at rest and immediately following a 50-foot (15.24 m) walk test (50FWT), walking time measured at fast and comfortable paces during the 50FWT, and the Lequesne Index. Measurements were recorded by a blinded investigator at baseline and at 9 and 18 weeks after initiating the intervention.

Results: The 2 groups were homogenous regarding all parameters at baseline. Reductions in pain and improvements in WOMAC and Lequesne index scores were similar between groups. Pain before and after the 50FWT decreased significantly over time in both groups. However, the water-based exercise group experienced a significantly greater decrease in pain than the land-based exercise group before and after the 50FWT at the week 18 follow-up.

Discussion and Conclusion: Both water-based and land-based exercises reduced knee pain and increased knee function in participants with OA of the knee. Hydrotherapy was superior to land-based exercise in relieving pain before and after walking during the last follow-up. Water-based exercises are a suitable and effective alternative for the management of OA of the knee.