The most common cause of knee problems associated with the breastroke is an improper kick. People want to do a 'frog kick' where the knees come out quite wide. Not only can that be bad for the knees, it can also injure the hips.
The proper breastroke kick is a 'whip kick' with the legs held somewhat relaxed and the feet/ankles leading the kick. The knees should not be tensed. The effect of the kick comes mostly from the area below the knees, though the force originates in the large muscles of the upper legs. It's a lot easier to see than to explain: get someone who really knows to show you the proper breastroke kick.
Swimming of all sorts is generally an exceptionally good exercise for persons with arthritis. I have seen several instances of persons improving their arthritis dramatically with regular swim exercise. One woman in particular who swam at a pool I managed in Northern California went from barely being able to get in/out of the pool to the Senior Olympics in less than 3 years, and gained significant mobility out-of-water during that time as well.
Keep it up, just do it right! Best of luck to you.|||swimming and i mean all forms of it...is the best exercise for arthriric joints... gives you adequait exertion without putting weight on your joints...|||I don't think it would be as there would be no strain on the joints due to being in the water and it isn't a load bearing activity. I have a fibromyalgia and it affects my joints and I find that swimming Is a very good exercise as there is no pressure on my joints at all and swimming is a good gentle exercise to do.|||No I have Arthritis and i swim twice a week for an hour. I always do breaststroke I find it is beneficial as you are not putting weight on your joints. Swimming gives a gentle excercise I find it does me good.|||YES, it definitely can be. I'm only 20 but I have an tracking disorder in my knees that's caused much of my cartilage to wear away after being a breaststroker for 12 years through college swimming. If you're already missing cartilage, it may cause the bones to rub against each other which brings pain, swelling, and possibly additional cartilage loss.
If you've tried it before and it doesn't create any pain, you should be okay. However, your best bet would be to stick to freestyle kicking which is much easier on the knees and can stabilize the joint by strengthening the quad and the IT band down the side of the leg.
Additionally, if you're seeing a doctor for your arthritis, he may be able to recommend other exercises that can enhance joint functioning.
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