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 NOVEMBER 30, 2006 Strong Quads May Prevent Loss of Knee Cartilage Strong quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh may help prevent cartilage loss behind the kneecap. Less cartilage loss can mean better range of motion and less discomfort, which may have special importance for people with knee osteoarthritis. Strengthening the quadriceps helps stabilize the knee joint, prevents it from moving laterally, and tracking abnormally in the knee. When it's not aligned in the knee groove properly, you can have more cartilage loss from friction. A new study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology looked at knee joint MRIs of 265 men and women with knee osteoarthritis. They were tested again at 15 months and 30 months to see how much cartilage had been lost over time. Participants' quadriceps strength was also measured during knee extensions. Those who had the strongest quadriceps had the least cartilage loss behind the kneecap, about 60% less deterioration. To strengthen your quads, you can do isometric quad exercises with the leg extended by tightening the quad muscle for one second, working up to 50 repetitions; leg extensions, building up to 2 sets of 12 repetitions; or 90-degree wall sitting, working up to 30 seconds or longer. |
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