Exercise Or Rest

[leahbee]

I have a very painful knee which makes it difficult to rise from sitting. One of my daughters says I should get on my exercise bike and the other one says I should sit with my leg raised. Which one is correct or is there anything else I can do. I am in my late 70s.

[furrypusscat]

Sounds like it will be osteo arthritis unless you know you have actually done something to it. I suffer from painful joints, OA hips, knees etc. I find swimming is good exercise as it is not weightbearing. If you have sprained/strained it, then rest, apply ice, and possibly apply a tubigrip type support. See your GP if doesnt improve, may require Xray. If you feel you can exercise do a little often rather than overdoing it. Exercise bike may be okay but don't have it so you have to work hard - no resistance is perhaps best initially then adjust as you feel able.

[boxtops]

You need to see the doc, to diagnose exactly what the problem is, before you can decide what's best for it.

[woofgang]

what boxy said. Actually both daughters are right.An exercise bike is a good idea for maintaining range of movement and muscle tone (keep the resistance set at easy) but you need to know what is wrong first. If you do rest it, rest it elevated and slightly bent

[jd_1984]

Get a diagnosis before taking up any of the above alternatives. It could be a wide range of things, could it be the result of an injury, have you suffered this previously or had other painful joints etc? An X-Ray may give a clear indication of what is causing the pain and then a plan of action can be drawn up (likely pain releif and gentle exercise but be sure first)

[Sqad]

I agree with the rest and "gentle" exercise brigade until a diagnosis has been made.....although i agree it does sound like OA.

I assume that you are taking pain killers...eg Ibuprofen.

[leahbee]

Thank you all so much. I just hate going to see the doctor , don't know why I just feel very vulnerable when I have to say that there is something wrong with me. I suppose that I will have to get used to it as I get older.

[woofgang]

think of the doctor as a plumber or a leccy....that's all they are, specialist workmen.

[Eve]

I'm with the get a diagnosis posters.

I have had increasing problems with my knees, one in particular, and the pain is worse on rising, when the knee goes to be straightened though in one knee in particular it is now causing a lot of problems with walking, even with my walking stick, and giving way.

Although I have rheumatoid arthritis anyway, GP thinks it is a problem with the meniscuses (whatever the plural is - shock absorbers and help with stability) in my knee which makes sense having looked it up - that would never have occurred to me - I had no idea what a meniscus was let alone what it does etc... before I looked it up after my appointment.

Don't risk aggravating it and possibly making it worse before you've had it properly assessed.

[Goodsoulette]

Are you able to invest in a rise and recline chair. It should help maintain your mobility. If you do the exercise bike thing, you need to keep your heels down at the back. Cycling on tip toes will put more stress on your knees. You could do quarter squats in front of a chair.

[backtalk]

First of all, get your doctor to look at it, to find out what is causing the pain in the first place. If he does suggest exercise, consider a good yoga routine. It will put a lot less impact on your leg.