Prognosis
Strengthening exercises against knee arthrosis achieve truly outstanding results in some patients. This form of therapy is especially helpful for those who are otherwise active and have never been overweight. Patients who manage to get rid of their excess pounds on a long-term basis also benefit enormously.
Nevertheless, the exercises described above (and of course the multitude of other exercises) are only one way to delay the progress of the disease. The actual cause – the cartilage damage – cannot be outweighed even by the best training. If started early and combined with a suitable pain medication if necessary, a high quality of life can nevertheless be achieved in many cases even without an operative joint replacement.
Prophylaxis
Strength training at a young age, which stresses and trains the whole body and of course the thighs and calves, is worthwhile for joint stabilization and health care. Especially those who regularly practice endurance sports that put a strain on the knees (e.g. jogging, karate, step aerobics) should make sure to do sufficient strengthening exercises to compensate.Particular attention must be paid to ensuring that all exercises are performed perfectly according to instructions and thus are easy on the joints, in order to prevent possible damage due to incorrect loading or overloading. All overweight patients are also recommended to achieve a lasting and permanent weight reduction – as therapy for osteoarthritis, but also as prophylaxis.
Without the additional (superfluous) extra load that overweight brings with it, the knee joint experiences immediate relief. If you are already overweight, knee-friendly, moderate endurance sports such as cycling or swimming are recommended for weight reduction. In case of doubt or uncertainties, a general practitioner or sports physician or a physiotherapist will be happy to advise you.