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    Activity Modification

Activity Modification

Your physician may prescribe relative rest to heal the swelling of synovitis. By putting less stress on your knee, you may be able to reduce the irritation of the synovial membrane that is causing the excess fluid production. This means modifying your workouts to avoid the activities that cause pain. For example, instead of riding a bike or running, you could swim or rollerblade. Or, you could reduce the intensity of your workout, by using less resistance when you ride, or by eliminating hills from a running workout. Contact sports and activities that require twisting or side-to-side motion can cause irritation of the joint lining and usually should be avoided.

Prevention

The best way to prevent recurring synovitis is to properly treat the knee problem or disease that caused synovitis. You may be able to reduce your chances of recurring synovitis by avoiding a sudden increase in activities that require repetitive motion, such as cycling or using a stair-climbing machine. Easing into an exercise routine after synovitis can help reduce stress on the synovial membrane and help you avoid irritation. In the absence of other knee complications, the amount of caution you should use during activities to prevent synovitis from recurring depends on your age as follows:

   Children - Synovitis usually does not hinder joint function after an injury. Once synovitis heals, it rarely returns.

   Adults - Synovitis may signal that you have sustained some degree of cartilage damage. Becoming less involved in strenuous activities, like contact sports or long distance running, may help prevent future synovitis. But you do not need to avoid activities or be overly concerned with prevention unless the underlying cause of your synovitis was a severe disease or injury that warrants extra prevention measures.

   Seniors - Synovitis may be more problematic later in life, harming the function of your knee joint, and you should continue to visit your physician for check-ups after your knee heals. Because synovitis is a common companion of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, you should strongly consider cutting back your activity level to avoid situations that could strain your knee joint.

Weight control is also important. One extra pound of body weight translates into three or four pounds of weight across your knee every time you take a step. Lightening the load on your knees helps them to function better. Your physician may prescribe a lightweight knee brace to wear during sports that require side-to-side or twisting motions. You should also consider wearing kneepads during activities like in-line skating that put you at risk for falling.