People whose knees are starting to degenerate often have a conflict in their minds.
When going up and down stairs, my knees feel stiff, sore, and sometimes even painful. I need to hold onto something to hold onto when I squat down and stand up. After walking for a while, my knees start to protest. You naturally think: since my knees are already degenerating, shouldn't I rest more and walk less to prevent it from getting worse?
But on the other hand, you hear people say that you need to move your knees more to prevent them from getting damaged.
Which is right? More activity, or more rest?
The answer to this question may not be what you intuitively think. But understanding it will have a significant impact on your knees for decades to come.
First, let's dispel a myth: degeneration doesn't mean we should "reduce maintenance."
Many people have a deep-rooted idea about osteoarthritis of the knee: joints are like machine parts, they will wear out after a long time, so if you use them less, they will last longer.
It sounds reasonable, but this idea is actually wrong.
Modern medical evidence is very clear: exercise is the most evidence-supported non-surgical treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee, and it is the first-line treatment recommendation. It's not just something to "try," but rather it's listed as the top recommendation in all international treatment guidelines.
How powerful is it? An analysis reviewing over two hundred studies found that exercise is comprehensively effective in "reducing pain" and "improving mobility." Other studies have found that up to 95% of patients who received supervised exercise therapy delayed knee replacement surgery.
In other words, the intuition that "you should move less when your knees are degenerating" is actually the opposite. Moving appropriately is the most effective way to protect your knees, slow down degeneration, and reduce pain.
Why does movement actually protect the knees?
The key here lies in a fact that many people overlook: your knees are not supported by bones, but by muscles.
The stability of the knee joint largely depends on the surrounding muscles, especially the quadriceps femoris muscle on the front of the thigh. Studies have repeatedly shown that people with osteoarthritis of the knee have significantly weaker quadriceps femoris muscles. And this muscle plays the role of the knee's "shock absorber".
When the quadriceps are strong, they absorb the impact transmitted to the knee when walking or going up and down stairs, stabilizing the joint and reducing friction and pressure between bones. When they weaken, these forces directly impact the already degenerated joint surfaces, accelerating wear and tear and exacerbating pain.
This is the trap of "leaving your body too little." The less you move, the weaker your thigh muscles become, the more protection your knees lose, and the more pain you experience. The more pain you feel, the less you dare to move, further weakening your muscles. It's a vicious cycle that pushes your knees in an increasingly worse direction.
The way to break this cycle is to strengthen the thighs and surrounding muscles again. Studies show that eight to twelve weeks of quadriceps strengthening can significantly reduce pain and improve function; the effects are even faster when hip strengthening is added.
Another often overlooked aspect is the core. The stronger the core, the less pressure the knees bear. This is because when your torso can stabilize itself well, the transfer of power is more efficient, and the knees don't have to bear loads that they shouldn't have to carry.
However, "how to move" is very important.
Seeing this, you might think: Then I'll just go running, hiking, and squatting to strengthen my legs, right?
Don't rush. There's a crucial point to consider here.
Degenerated knees need exercise, but they need "the right exercise." High-impact activities, such as running, jumping, and climbing steep slopes, can put significant impact and pressure on already degenerated joint surfaces, potentially worsening the problem. Heavy squats, if performed with incorrect form, can also injure the knees.
Low-impact exercises are truly suitable. Studies specifically recommend activities like swimming, cycling, and walking because they train muscles without putting excessive pressure on the joints.
In other words, the key is to find a way to effectively strengthen the thighs, hips, and core without putting stress on the knee joint itself.
This is precisely where Chanrou excels.
How can Chanrou help her atrophied knees?
It strengthens the thighs and hips without impacting the joints.
Chanrou's leg training is performed in a fluid, controlled, and impact-free manner. It effectively awakens and strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and muscles around the hips, without impacting the knees like running and jumping. This "effective strengthening, low-impact" characteristic is exactly the combination that osteoarthritis of the knee needs most.
It extends in opposite directions to protect the joint space.
When Chanrou trains leg strength, she always incorporates the concept of extension. While the leg is exerting force, it is also lengthening, allowing the knee joint to maintain space during training and preventing it from bearing load under compression or squeezing. This method of "training while extending" is particularly beneficial for a knee that has already degenerated and whose joint space has narrowed.
It also builds a core and reduces the burden on the knees.
Chanrou's strength lies in its deep core training. When your core is truly strong, your torso can stabilize well, power transfer is more efficient, and the pressure on your knees is reduced. This is an aspect that many methods that only train legs overlook.
It takes care of the coordination of the entire leg.
Knee problems are often related to the condition of the hip joint and ankle. When the hip is too tight or the ankle is unstable, the transmission of force will get stuck and accumulate in the knee. Chanrou takes care of the coordination of the entire leg, allowing the force to flow smoothly from the hip, through the knee, to the ankle, instead of all being pressed on the knee.
From "fear of damaging it" to "proactive maintenance"
The most important thing for people with osteoarthritis of the knee to change is the mindset that "my knee is damaged and I can only use it sparingly".
Knee degeneration is indeed irreversible. But that doesn't mean you can only passively watch it get worse. You can do much more than you think. By strengthening the muscles that protect your knee, you can reduce pain, improve function, slow down the rate of degeneration, and even postpone or avoid the need for surgery.
This isn't about passively "using it sparingly," but rather proactively "maintaining" it. You're not waiting for your knee to break down, but rather building an increasingly stronger protective force for it.
When your thighs regain strength, when your core stabilizes, and when your entire leg becomes coordinated again, you'll find that going up and down stairs isn't so scary anymore, you can walk for longer periods, and your knees start to hurt less easily.
Of course, before you begin, you must have your doctor confirm your knee condition and the appropriate exercise intensity, because degeneration varies in degree, and some cases require special attention. Furthermore, there is a great deal of individual variation in osteoarthritis of the knee. Finding a truly knowledgeable instructor who can tailor adjustments to your knee's condition and knows which movements to avoid is more important than anything else. If any movement causes knee pain, it's telling you that you're overdoing it and it's time to stop and discuss it with your instructor or doctor.
If your knees are degenerating, should you move around more or rest more?
The answer is: move, but move smartly.
Instead of relying on rest to conserve energy for a knee that will weaken with use, we should build a truly reliable protection for it through gentle, non-impact training that builds strength.
When the doctor says it's okay to start exercising, the next step is to move from "being afraid of damaging it" to "actively taking good care of it."
