Your knees handle a lot of pressure throughout the day as you walk, bend, use stairs and move around on your feet in general. As you get older, wear and tear from all this movement can end up making your knees feel more painful. Although knee pain is common with age, there are ways to lower this risk and keep your knees in good shape. The following tips can help you maintain healthy knees over the years.
Stay at a Healthy Weight
Being overweight puts extra strain on your knees, which can increase wear and tear. Losing excess body weight and making sure you keep it off helps ease the amount of pressure you put on your knees when you move around. If you need to lose weight, eating a nutritious diet, avoiding unhealthy food and getting exercise on a regular basis can help.
Wear Shoes with the Right Support
The shoes you wear can affect your knees, so it’s important to wear ones that are comfortable and offer plenty of support. Shoes that are supportive help ease strain on your knees as you walk. Choose shoes that give you the right support depending on the kind of activity you’re doing, such as walking shoes or running shoes. Avoid wearing shoes that offer little to no support or shoes that place added strain on your knees, such as high heels.
Improve Your Posture
Poor posture, such as slouching, can put more stress on your knees. You can prevent this by working on your posture. Whether you’re standing up, keep your body straight with your hips, knees and feet in alignment.
Exercise Regularly
Getting exercise on a regular basis helps keep your joints flexible and strong, including your knee joints. You can get physical activity by doing a workout routine with stretches and other exercises, going for walks or doing other activities. If you do high-impact activities, such as running, give your knees a break the next day. You can switch off doing high-impact and low-impact activities on alternating days to lower your risk of injuries. If you have knee pain or a knee injury, you should talk to your doctor before starting a workout routine. Your doctor can let you know which exercises or physical activities are safe for you to do.
Make Your Leg Muscles Stronger
The muscles that provide support for your knees, such as your hamstrings and quadriceps, help reduce strain on these joints. Keeping these muscles strong helps protect your knees from wear and tear. Include exercises that strengthen these muscles, such as lunges and squats, in your regular workout routine.
If you suffer from chronic knee pain, contact Huntington Orthopedics for more information on our services. Our orthopedic specialists can help you find relief from knee pain.