Yoga for Knee Pain Relief: A Gentle, Effective Option

Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition. In its early stages, many people can manage discomfort and slow progression with lifestyle measures, including osteoarthritis knee exercises. Until recently, doctors believed that strength-based exercises would deliver the best results for patients with knee osteoarthritis. But now, thanks to a new study, we know that yoga provides just as much benefit to your joints. Plus, it may provide added benefits, such as stress management, that will contribute to your general well-being.

Strength Exercises vs Yoga for Knee Pain Relief

When you have knee osteoarthritis, you may experience symptoms such as pain, stiffness and limits on mobility. Despite being so different, both yoga and strength exercises are known to help manage knee pain due to osteoarthritis. But it wasn’t clear whether one form of movement offered superior relief, so researchers set out to conduct a study comparing the relative benefits of each workout. Here’s what they found.

Over the course of this 24-week study, 117 Australian patients were randomly assigned to manage their osteoarthritis knee pain with a yoga program or a strength training regimen. For the first 12 weeks, participants in both groups engaged in three weekly training sessions—two were supervised, one was conducted at home, independently. Then, for the last 12 weeks of the study, all three of their weekly workouts were conducted at home, without supervision. At the end of the study, both groups of patients reported an almost identical reduction in knee pain. As such, researchers suggested that doctors should integrate yoga for knee pain relief into clinical practice, providing complimentary benefits alongside strength training exercises.

When to See a Doctor for Knee Osteoarthritis

Lifestyle measures such as strength training and yoga for knee pain relief are most effective when osteoarthritis is in its early stages. However, when disease progression worsens your symptoms, or begins to impact your mobility, lifestyle measures alone may not provide sufficient relief. At that stage, you may wish to explore Genicular Artery Embolization, the GAE knee procedure that delivers knee pain relief without the need for surgery. You can start to explore your candidacy for this treatment option by requesting a consultation requesting a consultation requesting a consultation at one of the Texas Knee Institute’s seven convenient locations.