Benefits of Regular Exercise...

Though it may seem counterintuitive, doing regular exercise such as walking can actually help soothe the pain because it strengthens muscles and tendons that support the joint and improves blood flow to the area for faster healing. "If you avoid walking because your knee hurts, then you'll lessen your range of motion so it'll hurt even more later on," says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of the new book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2011). "Try using a heating pad on your knees for 10 minutes before walking to help muscles relax so you'll get a better range of motion as well as pain relief." If you find walking too uncomfortable, another good option is swimming because it doesn't put as much pressure on your knees. In fact, people with arthritis in their knees or hips who did water exercises for 6 weeks reported less joint pain and better overall quality of life, according to the journal Physical Therapy.