7 Knee Health Tips

Knee health is an important part of aging gracefully. Knee pain is common, especially as we get older, and it’s often caused by osteoarthritis, the wearing away of knee cartilage. Fortunately, there are ways to postpone knee problems or even prevent them. In many cases, caring for your knees at every stage of life can help you delay or avoid surgery such as a knee replacement. Here are 7 knee health tips to keep your knees happy and healthy for a lifetime.

1. Strengthen the Muscles

Stronger muscles stabilize the knee joint and help absorb the stress you place on it. Start with the quadriceps and hamstrings in the thighs, but don’t stop there. Strengthening the hip and core muscles also helps the knee work its best.

Stronger abs and back muscles improve your balance, which means you’re less likely to fall or get injured. Add core (abdominal, back and hip) exercises to your routine. If you have joint problems, avoid quick, repetitive movements. Pilates and yoga are great workouts to try, and our knee control exercises are a good starting point. A physical therapist can evaluate your needs and build a strengthening program that’s right for you.

2. Lose Weight

If you’re overweight, extra pounds add extra pressure on your knees with every step. Research in older adults with knee osteoarthritis found that each pound lost took about four pounds of load off the knee per step. Losing weight relieves pressure and pain on the joints. Read more on losing weight to alleviate knee pain.

3. Increase Range of Motion

Most people’s joints get stiffer with age, and people with better knee motion tend to have fewer symptoms, especially if they can fully straighten the knee. So it’s important to work on getting the knee straight. Your doctor or physical therapist can recommend exercises to get yours where it should be.

4. Know Your Limits

It’s normal to have some muscle aches after you exercise. But if you hurt for more than 48 hours, you may have overdone it, so don’t push as hard next time. Working through sharp pain can lead to injury.

5. Eat a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is a key way to keep your knees happy and healthy.

• Omega-3s: fatty cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower inflammation, especially for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Calcium and vitamin D: keep your bones strong. Dairy products are good sources of calcium, along with green leafy vegetables like broccoli and kale.
• Supplements: if you don’t get enough from food, ask your doctor whether fish oil, calcium or vitamin D supplements are right for you.

6. Choose Low-Impact Activities

If your knees are sore, limit high-impact activities such as jogging and jumping-based aerobics classes. Try low-impact exercise instead, like indoor or outdoor cycling, swimming or an elliptical trainer. Low-impact activities are easier on your joints and can still build strength around the knee.

7. Safety First

Padding can make the difference. Suit up for things like in-line skating or contact sports. If your joints already ache, a brace may help when you play tennis or golf. Protecting your knees from injury, or re-injury, is vital to knee health. If you’ve already strained a ligament, see our guide to knee sprains.

When to Get Your Knees Checked

• Swelling: a knee that swells after activity or for no clear reason
• Locking or giving way: the knee catches, locks or buckles
• Night pain: pain that wakes you up or doesn’t ease with rest

Keep your knee health goals in mind to get the best results. It can be as simple as going for a walk. And if knee pain has you worried about the future, read why knee pain today doesn’t mean knee replacement tomorrow.

References

1. Messier SP, Gutekunst DJ, Davis C, DeVita P. Weight loss reduces knee-joint loads in overweight and obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2005;52(7):2026-2032.

Keep Your Knees Healthy for Life

If you want a plan to keep your knees healthy, our knee pain treatment in Fort Myers can help you get results naturally with The Gray Method™, one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy at our clinics in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Estero.

Start with our Fixing the Cause & Not Just the Symptoms Assessment, or Inquire About an Appointment →

Call our office at (239) 223-0484 to schedule your appointment.