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How to Exercise When You Have Arthritis of the Knees

By U.S. News & World Report

Millions of Americans and their loved ones are intimately familiar with arthritis — the inflammation, swelling and stiffness that can take our once limber joints hostage at any time and cause them debilitating pain and immobility. Osteoarthritis, sometimes referred to as “degenerative joint disease” or “wear and tear” arthritis, is one of the most common types, and as the name suggests, it’s caused by the breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the joints.

Though osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body (fingers and hips are some usual targets), another common spot is the knee. Because we use our knees for most daily living activities, the most basic being walking, having a flare up of knee arthritis can make it hard to get through a day. While there is no cure for this condition, there are a variety of options to help manage the pain and stay active.

I understand that staying active with knee arthritis pain may sound like an oxymoron. When inflammation and stiffness are most severe, it can seem nearly impossible to move more than necessary, let alone cruise around on a bicycle. Believe it or not, however, exercise is not only possible for people with knee arthritis, but crucial. The thought of getting up and being active may seem overwhelming, but consider these reasons to do so:

[See: How to Practice Yoga When You Have Arthritis or Another Chronic Condition.]

First, it’s proven that people with arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain. Concerned that exercising will stress your joints more and make the knee pain and stiffness worse? Research suggests that exercise has the opposite effect. In fact, exercise is considered the most effective non-drug treatment available for reducing pain, while improving range of motion and quality of life. Plus, it can give your energy levels a boost and help you sleep more soundly, and you’ll likely begin to see your function levels rise. So how exactly does moving more help soothe sore knees and other joints? Well, when you’re active and exercising, your muscles and tissues surrounding the joints are being strengthened — and the stronger they are, the more support they can provide for the bones and joints. Not exercising weakens those surrounding muscles, adding to the stress on the joints, and often results in the arthritis pain becoming worse over time.

As with any exercise regimen, it’s imperative to clear it with your doctor first and to start off slowly with a few low-impact activities to gauge your fitness level and ensure you don’t go too hard too quickly, which can lead to injuries. Once you get going, there are three different types of exercises people with arthritis should include in their routine for maximum effect in a step-wise progression. They are:

Range of motion and flexibility. These exercises can (and should) be done daily and are designed to take your joints through their full range of motion to maintain that movement and become more flexible. Basic stretching is a great ROM exercise and can be as simple as gently flexing and extending your knee repeatedly throughout the day.

[See: Osteoarthritis and Activity: Walking It Out.]

Strengthening. This type of movement will help build up the muscle strength in the quads and hamstrings surrounding the knee joints so they’re better protected and supported. Weight lifting just two days a week is all that’s necessary to maintain muscle strength, and three days a week will help build even more. Remember to always stretch before and after lifting weights, and unlike range of motion exercises, give yourself a one-day break in between weight lifting sessions.

Aerobic. This endurance type of exercise will strengthen your heart and facilitate overall body fitness. Elevating your heart rate by walking, jogging, biking or swimming will get those calories burning, can help you to shed pounds if you have extra to lose (which will remove some stress on the knee joints), boost your daytime energy and help you sleep better at night. That’s quite a lot of benefit from just 20 minutes a day. Aerobic exercise is safe to do every day, but you can start at just a few days and work your way progressively up as your stamina improves.

If fatigue becomes a problem as you’re doing these exercises, simply break them up into shorter 10-minute sessions throughout the day, instead of trying to finish it all at once. The point is not to you work yourself into exhaustion, but that your knee joint is getting consistent appropriate movement. Don’t forget that your regular daily activities still amount to “exercise,” too. Taking the dog for a walk or moving the lawn? Yep, those count.

[See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore.]

Remember: Motion is life, and life is motion. To anyone with arthritis, especially of the knee, getting the right kinds of exercise daily is vital to your health. It sounds contradictory, but movement and exercise will ultimately free you from the chains of immobility that arthritis can put you in. It’s possible to live the active life you’ve always wanted to, even with arthritis. Set a goal for yourself, make an action plan and watch the knee pain slowly ease away.

More from U.S. News

7 Exercises You Can Do Now to Save Your Knees Later

8 Lesser-Known Ways to Ruin Your Joints

10 Ways to Avoid Winter Joint Pain

How to Exercise When You Have Arthritis of the Knees originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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