KNEES

When putting together a weekly exercise plan you should start low and build up gradually. Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as cycling or fast walking every week. With any medical condition that maybe aggravated by a new activity you should seek medical advice before starting.

For more information click here

Physical activity can include anything from sport to walking and gardening.
Ask yourself the following: -

• What is your start point?
• What do you enjoy?
• When is your availability?
• What level can you realistically cope with?
• What are your goals?

Once you have decided on the above you can follow the guidelines below with your eventual goal being:

F- FREQUENCY = Working towards building activity into your daily routine

I-INTENSITY= Working at a moderate level where you feel mildly breathless, warm but comfortable.

T -TIME = One way to do your recommended 150 minutes is to work towards performing your chosen activity for a total of 30 minutes per day. This can be broken down and accumulated. You may begin with as little as 3-5 minutes each session and build gradually.

T - TYPE = any activity that fits well into your daily life.

With any joint problems we would urge you to talk to your GP/medical professional about what exercises he/she thinks may be suitable, as he/she will be aware of how severe your condition is. Options you could discuss include:

Taking up stationary cycling – with the correct seat position (higher so that the bend in the knee is reduced). This exercise has many benefits:

• It is non-weight bearing
• It is low impact
• You can control the speed and movement
• There are no jarring movements
• It is a great fat-burning, aerobic activity.

Swimming and exercise in water offer support to the body and the increased buoyancy minimises stress on the joints. Water also adds resistance to your movements, which can help increase muscle strength.

If your joint problems are related to arthritis, the NHS UK website gives excellent advice on exercising with arthritis click here

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