Figure 1 - Isometric exercise

Figure 2 - Isotonic exercise

Exercises for arthritis

Exercises for arthritis

Instructions for viewing movies

You must have QuickTime installed to view these movies. Please go to Apple's QuickTime website to download the player:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

After you have installed QuickTime, make sure that your browser is set up to automatically play movies when you download them. When you install QuickTime, it should do this for you.

Range of motion exercises

These exercises reduce stiffness and help keep your joints flexible. The "range-of-motion" is the normal amount your joints can be moved in certain directions. If your joints are very painful and swollen, move them gently through their range of motion.

Ankle

• Range of motion (0.23 MB)
• Gastroc stretch (0.15 MB)
• Soleus stretch (0.15 MB)

Back

• Pelvic tilt (0.21 MB)
• Hip lift (0.24 MB)
• Lower back rotation (0.23 MB)
• Double leg pull (0.23 MB)
• Single leg pull (0.20 MB)
• Push (0.26 MB)
• Back press (0.25 MB)
• Back release (0.23 MB)
• Arm reach (0.25 MB)

Elbow

• Elbow bending (0.23 MB)
• Elbow straightening (0.19 MB)
• Turning palm up (0.24 MB)
• Turning palm down (0.23 MB)
• Stretch for tennis elbow (0.23 MB)

Hand

• Table top (0.18 MB)
• Finger curls (0.16 MB)
• Finger tip touch (0.20 MB)
• Finger spread (0.15 MB)

Hip

• Hamstring stretch (0.27 MB)
• Hip flexor stretch (0.26 MB)

Knee

Shoulder

• Getting the arm up overhead while lying down (0.27 MB)
• Getting the arm up overhead while sitting (0.25 MB)
• Getting the arm up overhead with a pulley (0.26 MB)
• Getting the arm up to rotate while lying down (0.30 MB)
• Getting the arm to rotate while standing (0.27 MB)
• Getting the arm up the back (0.23 MB)
• Getting the arm across the body (0.30 MB)

Thumb

• Thumb slide (0.19 MB)
• In and out (0.19 MB)
• Thumb roll (0.20 MB)

Wrist

• Wrist flexion and extension (0.23 MB)
• Moving the wrist side to side (0.22 MB)

Tips for range-of-motion exercises

These exercises can help keep your joints moving. Follow these tips to get the most benefit.

1. Do these once or twice per day.
2. Do each exercise 3 to 10 times
3. Move slowly. Do not bounce.
4. Breathe while you exercise. Count out loud.
5. STOP exercising if you have severe pain.

If you have arthritis, you should try to move your joints through their full range of motion every day. Daily activities, such as housework, climbing stairs, dressing, bathing, cooking, lifting, or bending DO NOT move your joints through their full range of motion. They should NOT replace the therapeutic exercises your therapist recommends for you.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises help maintain or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help keep your joints stable and more comfortable. Two common strengthening exercises for people with arthritis are:

• Isometric - In these exercises, you tighten your muscles, but don't move your joints (see figure 1). This helps build your muscles without moving painful joints.
• Isotonic - In these exercises, you strengthen muscles by moving your joints (see figure 2). For example, when you press your knee toward the floor, you are doing an isotonic exercise to strengthen your thigh muscle.

Do these exercises daily or every other day. On days when you have more joint pain and swelling, you can adapt your program by leaving out or decreasing the strengthening exercises. Ask your therapist or doctor about ways to do this.

Specific strengthening exercises can be done for different joints. These should ONLY be done if they are comfortable. If you have questions about whether you should be doing these exercises, contact your physician.

Calf and Ankle

• Calf strengthening I (0.22 MB)
• Calf strengthening II (0.23 MB)
• Posterior tibial strength (0.24 MB)
• Toe flexor strength (0.24 MB)
• Peroneal Strength
  • Weights (0.33 MB)
  • Tubing (0.22 MB)

Knee

• Quad sets (0.25 MB)
• Straight leg raises (0.15 MB)
• Short arcs (0.23 MB)
• Wall sits (0.22 MB)
• Mini squats (0.25 MB)
• Hamstring strengthening (0.22 MB)

Shoulder

• Shoulder shrug (0.27 MB)
• Table push ups (0.22 MB)
• Balance (0.28 MB)
• Stiff arm pull (0.22 MB)
• Flies (0.21 MB)
• Two hand catch (0.13 MB)
• Rhomboids (0.18 MB)
• Internal Rotation
  • Isometrics (0.27 MB)
  • Tubing (0.22 MB)
  • Free weight (0.28 MB)
• External Rotation
  • Free weight (0.21 MB)
  • Isometrics (0.23 MB)
  • Tubing (4.84 MB)
• Supine Press
  • Two hands (0.29 MB)
  • One hand (0.21 MB)
  • Inclined press (0.24 MB)
  • Sitting press (0.22 MB)

Coordination

• Balance (0.28 MB)
• Two hand catch (0.13 MB)

Disclaimer

This resource has been provided by the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine as general information only. This information may not apply to a specific patient. Additional information may be found at http://www.orthop.washington.edu or by contacting the UW Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.