Recently, I have been dealing with a massive knee arthritis flare up resulting in joint swelling and inflammation hindering my ability to do normal fitness and hobbies. 

Since I am team no ibuprofen, tylenol etc.. unless absolutely necessary, I have instead been using specific forms of movement to manage these symptoms. 

The notion of managing swelling/inflammation without meds/complete rest etc... is a conversation that I also have frequently with my physical therapy clients so I thought it would be beneficial if I shared some of this with you. 

First of all it is important to understand that movement is your body's natural way of flushing waste product out of joints and bringing blood flow and necessary nutrients in. 

It is also important to understand that inflammation is also part of the body's natural healing process. The problem arises when it lingers longer than necessary. 

So in the most general sense- we want to encourage painfree (I also accept minimal discomfort) movement of the joint as frequently as possible. 

For the knee I achieve this in 3 ways as outlined below...

1. First and most important is joint mobilizations performed throughout the day. For the knee, I begin with rotations where we use the hamstrings to rotate the shin bone on the femur bone. After completing rotations, I follow that with repeated flexion and extension work (bending and straightening the knee). 

For a complete breakdown of this sequence watch this Tutorial on Youtube 

This repeated joint mobilization work helps lubricate the cartilage inside the knee joint while also flushing out waste product from the inflammation process. 

2. Secondly, sub-maximal muscle isometrics can further help pump fluid and waste product from the joint.

For the knee, I primarily focus on quad isometrics. For this we straighten the knee and then work on tightening up the quad muscle trying to pull the knee cap up towards the hip. I typically have clients hold 3-5 seconds and then perform hundreds of these a day. 

3. Lastly, I find that the stationary bike can be a great supplement to both the joint mobilization and the muscle isometrics. On the bike we get repetitive knee movement at the same time that we get a nice quad pump. This also brings more blood flow to the knee and leg to help promote healing. 

Adding the stationary bike 15-20 minutes a day at lower resistance can make a big difference on getting that swelling out of the knee. 

Finally, I want to leave you with one more thought. As a physical therapist, I am always going to talk about the use of movement and exercise as recovery strategies but it is important to also take an 'inside out' approach to navigating joint inflammation. 

What do I mean by that? 

You want to create an internal environment inside your body that promotes healing. You do this with the choices made of what you put inside your body (food, drink etc..).

While this is not an exhaustive list, these are some of the strategies that I support- focusing on whole foods and avoiding ultra processed stuff. Ensure proper hydration. And finally, avoid or limit alcohol as well as nicotine/tobacco. 

As always, if you have any questions or simply want to chat shoot me an email at [email protected]

And make sure to check out my top notch rehab programs. 

Hip Program. This is my best selling program that improves hip range of motion, strength, and power

Low Back Program. Tired of throwing out your back when you sneeze or pick up a shoe? This one is for you!

Knee Program. Restore range of motion and strength to your knees so you can get back to squatting like a boss

Shoulder Program. Designed to help you resolve shoulder dysfunction that can cause symptoms like impingement, limited range of motion, and instability

Yours in health, 

Jamie 'Doc Mraz'