Valentin Bosioc
WE ALL GET TO AGE AT A MOMENT! And as we get older, injury risks come more often. That’s why we need to make everything possible to prevent them!
Your risk of knee pain increases as you age. Reports show that 18 percent of men and 23 percent of women over 60 suffer knee pain and the rates increase steadily with age.
A large percentage of people who suffer knee pain have to undergo painful knee replacement surgery. You can try to avoid this surgery by taking simple preventive measures.
Below are some of the strategies that can prevent knee pain as you age.
1. Strengthen your hips
Your hip is a weight-bearing joint that helps you stand, walk, run or sit. Weak hips increase pressure on the knees, causing knee pain.
It’s worth noting that our hips weaken as we age mainly due to inactivity. There is a study found that the hip abductor muscles of women over 55 were 24 percent weaker compared to women aged 20 to 39.
Use exercises such as glute bridges to strengthen your hips.
2. Avoid repetitive motions
If you thought, any type of exercise will help prevent knee pain think again. Exercises that involve repetitive motion over an extended period usually lead to knee overuse injuries. A good example is cycling and running.
Avoid doing these exercises every day. Mix them up with strength training and low impact exercises such as swimming and walking.
3. Maintain your ideal weight
Being overweight puts excess pressure on your knees, which increases the risk of knee pain.
If you’re overweight, start making healthy diet choices and exercising regularly in order to lose weight.
4. Improve lower body flexibility
Lower body flexibility is essential for treating and preventing knee pain. Many of us have tight hamstrings and calf muscles.
READ ALSO: If You Have Bad Knees Try These Exercise Modifications For a Low Impact Workout
Add stretching to your workout regimen. Stretch for 5 minutes after every workout. Note that doing static stretches without warm up can cause injuries.
5. Drink enough water every day
Water is essential for preventing knee pain. Your knee joint contains cartilage, a soft spongy tissue that allows the joint to move without pain.
When you’re properly hydrated, the cartilage contains up to 80 percent water. But as you age, the amount of water in the cartilage may drop to 70 percent, increasing knee joint friction.
That’s why it’s important to drink at least 2 liters of water every day. You may also want to drink a glass of water before meals if you want to lose weight.
6. Wear comfortable and supportive shoes
Wearing the right type of shoes can take pressure off your knee joint while uncomfortable shoes such as high heels can cause knee pain. High heels force your quadriceps to work harder to keep your knee stable.
The closer your heels are to the floor, the better. Your shoes should also fit well and have enough cushion to reduce the impact as you walk or run.
