Osteoarthritis not only affects older people, it is actually the most common joint disease in adults. Sport is the best remedy against joint wear and tear, which is why you should move a lot despite or precisely because of arthrosis. We will tell you which sports are particularly suitable for osteoarthritis.
There are many causes of arthrosis: in addition to age-related wear and tear, misalignments such as knock knees, accidents, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or overuse can also contribute to joint wear and cartilage wear. In the following you will find out how you can prevent osteoarthritis with sport that is easy on the joints and which types of sport are particularly suitable for this.
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Sports and arthrosis: The right amount is crucial
One-sided and overloading high-performance sport without the necessary regeneration phases leads to arthrosis, as does a lack of exercise. You should therefore give your body the breaks it needs, but never give up sport and exercise completely. Movement ensures that grease is formed in the capsule of the joint – the so-called synovial fluid, which nourishes our cartilage tissue. Sport also strengthens our muscles and other structures that stabilize the joints, such as tendons and ligaments. Therefore, a complete renunciation of sport is neither preventive nor useful in the case of arthrosis that has already occurred.
These types of sports are particularly suitable for osteoarthritis
- Swimming and Aqua Fitness
If your knees or hips are suffering from osteoarthritis and pain, there is almost no alternative to water. In the cool water you can move your joints painlessly without the pressure of gravity and at the same time strengthen your muscles. - Cycling Cycling
has a similar advantage, since your lower extremities are equally relieved. Perfect for gently training your leg muscles. - Strength training
Don’t be afraid of strength training on machines or with dumbbells to strengthen your muscles! However, be sure to let trained staff show you how to do the exercises correctly so that you don’t put any further strain on your joints. - Nordic Walking
The sticks take some of the load off your knees and hips, making your endurance training easier on the joints. A great side effect: Your arms, especially the triceps, are effectively strengthened. - Cross-country skiing
In contrast to downhill skiing, cross-country skiing is a great way to train your endurance and your arm and leg muscles at the same time. - Yoga and Pilates
Here you keep your joints, tendons and ligaments flexible and at the same time strengthen your muscles in a gentle way.
Also helpful: Knee cracking – what you can do against noise and pain in the joint >>
