Knee problems are very common. In fact, around a third of us are likely to experience knee pain by the age of 75. Such pain can be the result of wear and tear, injuries, or other health problems such as fibromyalgia. While you cannot avoid all knee-related health problems, the majority are preventable by taking the right lifestyle choices. Below are just a few tips on how to look after your knees.
Don’t ignore knee pain
Once you start to notice knee pain, it’s important to get it checked out. Many knee injuries and knee-related conditions can be treated to prevent them from becoming a long-term health problem. Treatment may involve surgery or orthopedic regenerative medicine. In most cases, a recovery plan will be recommended, which may involve abstaining from certain activities or doing certain stretches. A lot of people fail to let their knee heal properly because they don’t follow this recovery plan – if you don’t want it to become a permanent problem, listen to your doctor.
Watch your weight
Weight gain can increase the risk of developing knee problems like arthritis. This is because your knees are having to carry so much extra weight, which puts a lot of pressure on the joints. If you needed another reason to watch your weight, this could be it. Obviously, losing weight is not easy for many people. A good first step is to be more physically active so that you’re burning more calories throughout the day, which leads to the next point…
Exercise your legs
Exercising your legs strengthens the muscles in your legs, which also helps to strengthen your knee joints. This can reduce the risk of sprains, tears, and other knee injuries. There are so many great leg exercises that you can do including running, cycling, dancing, skipping, squats, lunges, deadlifts and, step-ups. Avoid over-exercising your legs as this can be a cause of knee injuries. Know your limits and allow time to rest your legs after.
Wear the right shoes
Uncomfortable or inappropriate footwear could damage your knees. When it comes to everyday footwear, wear shoes that are comfortable. Avoid wearing shoes such as high heels every day as you will most definitely damage your knees due to the unnatural position of the foot. When doing exercise, wear suitable workout shoes – if you do a lot of running, it’s best to invest in a pair of specialist running shoes.
Make sure you’re sitting comfortably
It’s important that your sitting posture is correct so that you’re not damaging your knees, especially if you’re sitting somewhere for long periods (such as at a desk). Just what is a good sitting posture? Ideally, your legs shouldn’t be folded or crossed beneath you for long periods, nor should your knees be higher than your hips for long periods while seated. A lack of legroom is a common reason why people assume these positions – make sure you can stretch your legs in front of you while sitting. It’s also important that your feet aren’t hanging and that you can rest them on the floor or a footrest as this can also cause leg problems.
