It's all in the quads
If you're New Year's exercise resolution is starting to slip, here's a new incentive: it could help protect you from developing osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
A Mayo Clinic study tracked 265 men and women with diagnosed knee OA for 30 months. They found that people with stronger quadriceps muscles (the large muscle in your thigh) lost less cartilage in the joint behind the kneecap over time. They theorized that strong quads helped to keep the kneecap from moving from side to side, causing friction that could erode cartilage.
Since the quad is such a big muscle, it gets stronger with just about any exercise that involves the legs: walking, running, biking, or swimming. I believe progressive resistance strength training with squats and lunges, as well as work with weight machines, are best of all. Progressive resistance refers to the methodical increase over time of the amount of weight used. It's always best to have a physical trainer or exercise physiologist in the picture when you embark on a strength training program. By the way, yoga includes some great leg quad strengtheners, so if that's your cup of tea, go for it. Again, the best exercise is one you will do - and keep doing.
