Yoga Is Effective and Safe Even With Osteoarthritis Of The Knee

Yoga is a form of exercise commonly used to manage arthritic conditions because it is low intensity and low impact, meaning it doesn’t require tons of energy or extensive use of your muscles.  However, there is little information on the clinical benefits of this exercise on patient’s symptoms, safety, and improvement.

In a published study, Cheung and colleagues reported on a series of women, with diagnosed osteoarthritis of the knee, taking part in group yoga programs as well as home-based sessions.  They followed these patients over a 20 week period and found that in as little as 8 weeks, patients participating in a yoga program showed real pain and movement improvements compared to those on the waitlist. The improvements were kept up as the patients continued their yoga therapy and most importantly the authors did not report any negative effects.

This study shows the importance of regular stretching and strengthening activities in keeping joint stability and flexibility.  SimpleTherapy offers a variety of exercise therapy programs to complement your regular exercise routine and even targeted exercises for knee pain!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24886638