Exercise bike and sports for coxarthrosis of the hip joint

How exercise therapy can help with arthrosis

Exercise therapy for arthrosis performs different tasks:

1. Elimination of pain symptoms and stress on cartilage tissue.
2. Improving blood supply to the joint and restoring the integrity of cartilage.
3. Relieving muscle spasm.
4. Strengthening ligaments and muscles.
5. Improving the well-being of a sick patient, joint mobility, range of motion, providing the opportunity to return to normal life and self-care.
6. Reducing the frequency and severity of exacerbations.
7. Improving the trophism of cartilage tissue and stopping the process of cartilage destruction.

Coxarthrosis of the hip joint: why does the disease occur?

In order to understand how to heal sore joints with gymnastics, it is necessary to understand what a disease such as coarthrosis actually is.

So, let's imagine our hip joint. Outwardly, it very much resembles a hinge that fastens the leg and pelvis, like the dolls we played with in childhood. The surface of this formation is covered with cartilage tissue.

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Inside our hip joint is a biological fluid that performs the same role as oil for a car engine. In other words, it lubricates the cartilage tissue, and it is not damaged during movement.

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Coxarthrosis occurs when, under the influence of any external factors or internal pathologies of the body, this fluid changes its composition and, as a result, decreases in volume.

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Typically, this process is observed with age, however, quite often a decrease in fluid can occur:

• subsequently getting injured;
• due to the development of infection;
• under the influence of diseases of various etiologies.

As soon as the lubricating fluid leaves, the following negative effects develop:

• the joint begins to constantly feel friction;
• the cartilage becomes thinner;
• deformation of our biological “hinge” occurs.

All these changes at the level of a person’s sensations result in severe discomfort, forcing him to redistribute the load, trying to relieve tension in the joint. However, such transfer of tension, of course, does not have any therapeutic effect. As a result, the muscular frame of the sore leg weakens, gradually leading to tissue atrophy and an increase in the intensity of the pain syndrome.

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It is possible to recover from coxarthrosis in the following two ways:

• using conservative therapy;
• surgically.

Of course, in the very later stages, when a joint needs to be replaced with an artificial part, medications will not help in any way, but during the development of the disease, they can be used to:

• slow down the progression of the disease;
• relieve pain;
• remove muscle spasm;
• cure inflammation, etc.

However, even in the early stages it is necessary:

• develop a joint;
• maintain normal muscle function.

This can be done only by giving the body sufficient physical activity, specifically aimed at the affected area.

Specifically for this task, doctors invented therapeutic physical culture, which includes various complexes aimed at curing a particular disease.

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Features of exercise therapy for arthrosis

The goal of exercise therapy for arthrosis is to partially relieve the load from the joint and distribute it evenly in the musculoskeletal system to restore cartilage tissue. To obtain lasting results, therapeutic exercises must be performed regularly and daily. The duration of classes at the initial stage is at least 20 minutes, later they can be increased to 40 minutes. The best time for gymnastics is morning and evening. Each complex begins with a light warm-up, warming up the tissues, without tension. Movements when performing exercises should be smooth, without jerking or pain, with little muscle tension.

Severe pain is a signal to stop the exercise. Exercises with direct impact on the joint are excluded from the complex.

During training, blood supply to articular and periarticular tissues improves, trophism increases, which stops degenerative processes in the joint, muscles and ligaments are strengthened.

The loads are increased gradually, increasing the number of exercises. Weights are not used during classes. During exercise therapy, you should pay attention to your breathing: it should be smooth and rhythmic.

Any localization and form of arthrosis has serious complications, so you should not delay treatment.
See how easily the disease can be cured in 10-12 sessions.

Conservative treatment

As is the case with the treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint, therapy should be comprehensive. It includes the following activities:

• taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications;
• vasodilators improve blood circulation;
• chondroprotectors initiate the restoration of destroyed cartilage tissue, but do this for quite a long time;
• plasmolifting is an expensive method of stimulating regenerative processes using blood plasma injections;
• physiotherapy – the choice of method depends on the clinical picture, age, and preferences of the patient;
• diet therapy – for weight loss.

Classic set of exercises for arthrosis

Before you start doing gymnastics, you should consult your doctor. He will choose a complex taking into account the particular course of the disease, the severity of the condition, and the stage of the disease.

Gymnastics for knee joints with arthrosis

A set of exercises for gonarthrosis is performed for the purpose of prevention and during remission of the disease. Classes begin with a light warm-up and simple exercises. One of the main components of exercise should be stretching with a small amplitude.

Exercises for knee joints with arthrosis

At the beginning of the course, perform a minimum of exercises, gradually increasing their number. It is imperative to monitor your well-being: an increase in heart rate, dizziness, and acute pain may indicate excessive stress and the need to stop exercising.

Best exercises

1. Lying on your back, one leg is bent at the knee joint and pulled up to the thigh without lifting the foot. Then she bends at the hip joint, wraps her arm around her and pulls herself towards her stomach. Hold this position for 10 seconds. After this, the foot is lowered to the floor, the leg is slowly straightened. The movement is repeated 10 to 20 times. In the starting position, the legs are bent at the knees and raised. Movements are performed that simulate riding a bicycle.
2. Lying on your stomach, bend your leg at the knee joint, without lifting your thigh off the floor. We touch the buttock with the heel. Repeat from 20 to 40 times.
3. Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs slightly apart. Try to reach your feet with your hands without bending your knees. Stay in the bent position for 5-10 seconds. The movement is repeated 5 to 10 times.

Prohibited exercises

With gonarthrosis, playing and strength sports are prohibited. When performing exercises, jerking and sudden lunges are not allowed, and deep squats cannot be performed. For patients with degenerative processes in the knee joint, it is unacceptable to sharply increase the load and duration of exercise, or perform gymnastics, overcoming pain.

Gymnastics for the hip joint with arthrosis

In case of coxarthrosis of I or II degree, preference is given to exercises in a lying position or sitting on the floor, in case of III degree - sitting on a chair or lying down. At the beginning of the complex, light warm-up exercises are performed, at the end of the exercises, the arms are raised, a deep breath is taken, and the arms are lowered and exhaled. In this way, smooth breathing is restored.

Exercises for the hip joint with arthrosis

Best exercises

• Lie on your stomach, place your arms along your body. Raise your straightened legs smoothly and slowly and hold them in this position for 10 seconds. Perform 5 repetitions. In the future, the number of movements and duration of the fixed position can be increased to 20 seconds.
• Lying on your side, bend your lower leg at the knee, straighten your upper leg and lift it up. Hold for 10 seconds. Turn over to the other side and repeat the movements.
• Sitting on the floor, try to reach your toes with your hands, smoothly tilting your back, without jerking or sudden movements.
• Sitting on a chair, spread your legs slightly, lean forward slightly and sway from side to side 15 times.

Each exercise is performed 5 times. Over time, the number increases to 10.

Gymnastics in the “on the stomach” position is performed once in a complex; other exercises for arthrosis are recommended to be alternated and performed in 4 approaches. The duration of exercise therapy is 20 minutes at the initial stage, which can gradually be increased to 40 minutes.

Prohibited exercises

• squat;
• circular movements of the legs;
• active flexion and extension of the back and legs.

Crunching in joints - when to worry

Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid

If you have coxarthrosis, long walks are not recommended.

Gymnastics for shoulder and elbow joints with arthrosis

Exercises should be done carefully, smoothly and slowly, avoiding sudden movements and pain.

Exercises for shoulder and elbow joints with arthrosis

Best exercises

1. Slowly raise your right arm up and bend it at the elbow joint. Place your palm on your healthy shoulder and support your elbow with your left hand. The palm should slide over the shoulder. Count to eight and move your hand further without pain. Relax your hand and repeat the exercise 4 times.
2. Carefully place your right hand behind your left shoulder, and your left hand behind your right. Try to reach your spine with your fingers. Keep your elbows as high as possible. After 8 seconds, return to the original position. Repeat the exercise eight times during class.
3. Turn the back of the chair towards you, maintaining a distance of 40 cm. Bend over so that your arms remain straight (tilt angle 90º). For 8 seconds, stretch your shoulder joints down. Return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise eight times.
4. Place your sore hand on the table, place the palm of the opposite hand on the shoulder joint. Raise your shoulder up and create resistance with your hand. Relax your shoulders and use your palm to perform gentle pressing and rocking movements for 8 seconds; after 5 seconds of relaxation and rest, repeat the movements four times.
5. Place the palms of your left and right hands together in a handshake behind your back. Stretch your elbows, trying to connect them. After 8 seconds, return to the original position. Repeat the movement eight times during the session.

Prohibited exercises

Exercises with any arthrosis with sudden raising and swinging of the arms, vigorous bending and straightening of the elbows are prohibited. Gymnastics is prohibited for fractures and other injuries of the shoulder, including dislocations and sprains, arthritis, colds of viral and microbial etiology, for three months after surgery on the breast, neck, shoulder. After such operations, you should definitely consult a surgeon.

Selecting a device and setting it up

There is a large selection of exercise bikes that are structurally different from each other. It is advisable to purchase a bicycle simulator, the design of which involves adjusting the applied load. When choosing a bike station, take into account the following nuances:

• the device must be stable and safe so that obese people can train on it without any problems;
• the weight of the flywheel of the mechanism must be at least 7 kg, it ensures smooth rotation and a gradual increase in load;
• electromagnetic and magnetic devices are characterized by silent operation;
• You should not purchase devices with too many additional functions, since half of them are not used;
• Among people with coxarthrosis, horizontal devices are popular, which are equipped with an adjustable seat with a backrest.

Doctors often recommend purchasing a bicycle ergometer - a special medical device with precise load adjustment, heart rate measurement and other data. Its mechanism is designed so that all settings occur automatically depending on the patient’s well-being. In an exercise bike, the resistance should be set so that when force is applied, the pedals rotate smoothly and without sudden jerks.

It is recommended to conduct the first lessons in test mode. After them, you should evaluate the device and your sensations. Increased loads are allowed only after consultation with a doctor. If pain occurs, it is better to stop exercising on an exercise bike.

Other sets of exercises

There are other effective sets of exercises.

Any set of exercises can be performed at home if there are appropriate medical indications

Gymnastics for arthrosis using the Bubnovsky method

Exercises using the Bubnovsky method are suitable for patients with the initial stage of arthrosis of the knee joint. The complex is not performed in the acute stage. The peculiarity of this method is that the main load when performing exercise therapy falls not on the joint, but on the muscles. The blood supply to the joint improves, the muscles of the lower leg and thighs are strengthened. Each exercise is performed 10 times.

The basic complex includes the following exercises:

1. Lie on your back with your legs spread apart. Bend each leg in turn at the knee slowly, without tension. Pull your heel towards your buttocks without lifting your foot off the floor. If you feel an obstacle in the joint while performing the exercise, you can help pull the heel with your hands and fix this position for 10 seconds. If severe pain occurs, the exercise should be stopped.
2. You need to get on all fours and crawl, trying to stretch your arms and legs forward as much as possible. At first, you can use a chair as a support. Gradually the exercise becomes more difficult.
3. You need to lie on your stomach and stretch your arms forward. Raise your straight legs one at a time, scissor-style. At the initial stage, swings should not be large, they should be increased gradually.
4. The last exercise in the complex is performed in a sitting position. The foot must be tensed and pulled towards you. The same is done with the other foot.

Technique of Pavel Evdokimenko

The Evdokimenko complex includes many exercises, which should be selected and prescribed by the attending physician. The duration of classes should not exceed half an hour, but exercise therapy must be performed daily to achieve results. Exercises using this method strengthen the periarticular muscles and ligaments and improve the trophism of cartilage. They cannot be performed during exacerbation of arthrosis, hypertension and increased intracranial pressure.

The best exercises are:

• Lie on your stomach and extend your arms along your body. Bend your leg at the knee and lift it 15 cm above the floor, hold it in this position for 30 seconds. The same must be done with the other leg.
• Lie on your side with your lower leg bent at the knee. Raise your upper leg at an angle of 45º and hold it for 30 seconds. Do the same on the other side. Further, the exercise can be complicated: do not fix it, but rotate it. In this case, care should be taken not to aggravate arthrosis.
• Lie on your back, bend your knees. Raise your pelvis with support on your feet and shoulders, fixing the position for 10 seconds. Rest and repeat this variation more dynamically.

Chondroprotectors: what are they, how to choose, how effective are they?

Joint pain at rest

Shiatsu for arthrosis

The method combines physical exercises with a href=»/methods/tochechnyj-massazh/»>massage in the affected area of ​​the joint or the area associated with this joint. By pressing on the acupuncture point, certain movements are performed. Typically, this technique is used for severe arthrosis, when joint mobility is severely limited. During the period of exacerbation, gymnastics is not performed.

Shiatsu for arthrosis

The technique uses two types of exercises - in a relaxed and tense joint. The first type is used immediately, the second - when the joint is developed and can be bent. The peculiarity of the technique is to perform movements with a small amplitude so that the joint does not experience stress. The occurrence of pain during Shiatsu gymnastics can be a signal that the exercise is being performed incorrectly.

Performing Shiatsu exercises requires patience. Gymnastics begins with light swaying, the range of movements should not exceed 1 cm while simultaneously pressing on the active points. This small amplitude is compensated by the duration of the exercises for 1 hour. Only by working the joint well can you increase the amplitude of the swing.

Shiatsu gymnastics begins with light swaying to warm up, and only after that they move on to the next stage. When the joint is well developed, it is recommended to combine swings with stretching. After each such exercise, rocking is performed to calm the joint.

Gymnastics for arthrosis in water

The density of water is greater than air, so it is easier to perform exercises in it, and the load on the musculoskeletal system, including joints, is reduced. At the same time, the muscles and ligaments relax, and the pain in the joint subsides. Water allows you to perform complex exercises that, with arthrosis, cannot be done at home or in the fitness room. Water aerobics helps in the first stage of the disease to stop the processes of degeneration in cartilage tissue. It effectively burns calories, promoting weight loss, thereby reducing the load on the joints. During periods of exacerbation of arthrosis, swimming is contraindicated.

Set of exercises:

1. Walking. The exercise is performed at medium depth. In the future, you can move to a deeper part of the pool, increasing the load.
2. Swing your legs. To do this, you need to sit on the side and immerse your legs, raise and lower them, slightly bending the knee joint.
3. Breaststroke swimming. Useful for gonarthrosis. This type of swimming strengthens muscles and relieves stress on the knee joint.
4. Doing circles. The exercise is performed while standing waist-deep in water on one leg. The second leg describes circles with a small swing amplitude. After 10 laps the leg changes.
5. Squats. Regular squats are performed. If you have difficulty doing this, you can lean your back against the wall of the pool. You need to start with 5 exercises, gradually increasing the number of repetitions.
6. Backstroke. This type of exercise completes the set of exercises. It improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles. Ligaments and joints.

Before you start doing water aerobics, you need to develop a program to gradually increase the load and alternate a set of exercises to increase the effectiveness of your classes.

Yoga and Pilates for arthrosis

If you have arthrosis, you can do yoga and Pilates. Gymnastics at a slow pace strengthens muscles and ligaments and relieves pain in the joints. At the same time, deep muscles are worked out, blood supply to the joint capsule is improved, which contributes to the restoration of cartilage tissue. During the acute period of arthrosis, accompanied by severe pain, yoga and Pilates are contraindicated.

The exercises are performed mainly on a gymnastic mat in a sitting position:

1. Straighten your back and legs. Bend one leg at the knee and place it on your side. Carefully pull the sock towards the inner thigh. Stay in this position for 10 seconds. In the future, the time can be increased to 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise on the other leg.
2. In a sitting position, straighten your legs and spread them to the sides. Using your hands, slowly try to reach your feet. Perform all actions smoothly. If pain occurs, stop the exercise!

Gitta exercises for arthrosis

For people with coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis, Gitta gymnastics has been developed, which includes exercises with small amplitude movements. The advantage of this technique is that such exercises can be performed even with stage 3 arthrosis.

Gymnastics is performed while sitting on a chair or armchair so that the knee joint is bent 90 degrees or more, that is, the seat should be quite high:

• Spread your legs slightly and perform spreading movements with an amplitude of 1.0-1.5 cm. The result will be if such movements are performed for a long time, at least half an hour and every day.
• In the same position, raise your heel. Amplitude and duration as in the previous case. At the same time, you can do any sedentary work: reading, knitting, watching movies, so that the process is not too tiring.

If sitting is difficult, you can do the exercises while lying on the mat:

1. The arms lie along the body, the legs are slightly apart. Gymnastics for knee and hip joints with arthrosis consists of bringing the feet together with a small amplitude for 30 minutes. The sock does not move outward, only inward!
2. Lie on your stomach. Place a folded blanket or towel in the lower abdomen to elevate your pelvis. Rock your pelvis in this position for 20 minutes.

We combine proven techniques of the East and innovative methods of Western medicine.
Read more about our unique method of treating arthrosis

Diagnostics

The doctor may suspect the presence of coxarthrosis of the hip joint based on the patient’s complaints, external examination and the results of functional tests. During the visual inspection, the length of the legs must be measured. To do this, the patient is asked to stand up and straighten his legs as much as possible. The measurement is taken between the anterior axis of the pelvic bones and any bony structure of the knee, ankle or heel. But if both hip joints are simultaneously affected by coxarthrosis, the data obtained will be uninformative.

But since symptoms typical of coxarthrosis can accompany a number of other inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases, in order to accurately diagnose the pathology, the patient is required to be prescribed instrumental examination methods. It could be:

• CT or X-ray of the hip joint - the images show destructive changes in it, narrowing of the joint space, formation of osteophytes and deformation of bone surfaces;
• MRI is the most informative examination method, allowing you to accurately assess the nature of changes in cartilaginous structures, ligaments and the nature of blood circulation in the hip joint area.

Patients are also prescribed laboratory tests to assess their general health and detect diseases that could cause coxarthrosis. This:

• UAC and OAM;
• blood chemistry;
• rheumatic tests;
• puncture of the hip joint with biochemical examination.

The task of diagnosis is to differentiate coxarthrosis of the hip joint with gonarthrosis (damage to the knee joint), as well as radicular syndrome that occurs with osteochondrosis, as well as protrusions and herniations of intervertebral discs. Also, the symptoms of coxarthrosis may resemble manifestations of trochanteric bursitis and the atypical course of ankylosing spondylitis, which requires a full examination in order to determine the true causes of pain and limitations in mobility.

FAQ

Is it possible to play sports, run or ride a bike if you have arthrosis?

With arthrosis, there are many restrictions on playing sports. Any type of physical activity is strictly contraindicated, especially team sports and other disciplines with a high probability of joint injury. Light running, walking, and fitness with limited stress on sore joints are allowed. An exercise bike is useful.

Is it possible to combine exercise therapy with other methods of treating arthrosis?

It is not only possible, but also necessary to support joints with drug treatment and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Is it possible to combine different exercise therapy techniques?

It is possible and necessary to combine different techniques, especially gym classes and swimming. In any case, the final decision on the exercise therapy technique remains with the attending physician.

Read about other methods of treating arthrosis in this article.

Literature:

• Ulashchik, V. S. Therapeutic physical culture // Physiotherapy: Universal medical encyclopedia. - Mn.: Book House, 2008. - P. 308-315. - 640 p.
• Therapeutic physical culture / Ed. S. N. Popova. Physical education and sport, 1988, 271 p.
• Dubrovsky V.I. Therapeutic physical culture: textbook. for students universities - M.: VLADOS, 1998-608s.
• Epifanov, V. A. Therapeutic physical culture. - M.: Medicine, 1987. - 528 p.

Themes

Arthrosis, Joints, Pain, Treatment without surgery Date of publication: 05/25/2021 Date of update: 08/25/2021

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