If your knees are feeling a bit creaky of late, you’re certainly not alone. As we age, knee issues increase as our bodies experience undue stress from everyday activities like walking and running.
But there are precautions you can take to help keep your knees healthy – no matter how old or active you may be! Here are a few tips for keeping your knees in good working order.
1. Circumferential Stitch Repair
This is a type of knee surgery that can help restore mobility and reduce pain. It involves stitching the surrounding muscles around the knee together. This procedure helps to stabilize the joint and strengthen the muscle structure around it, reducing discomfort and allowing for more flexible movement.
For example, an anterior horn tear, which is a common knee injury, may be helped with this procedure. Also, if you have an ACL tear or meniscus injury, this technique may be recommended. It’s important to consult with a medical professional if you have any knee pain or instability.
2. Physical Therapy and Stretching
Physical therapy is a great way to keep your knees healthy. It can help you maintain your range of motion and strength, reduce inflammation, and minimize pain.
If you’re an athlete or lead an active lifestyle, taking care of your knees is essential to prevent injuries. Chiromedic Medicine clinic offers various services to help you maintain. There are various therapeutic interventions for healthy knees, including physical therapy, chiropractic care, and sports injury massage therapy.
Working with a physical therapist regularly can help prevent future problems with your knees.
Stretching is another important component of knee health. Stretch before and after physical activity to loosen tight muscles around the joint and reduce the risk of injury.
Make sure to stretch all areas surrounding the knee including the calf, hamstring, quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors, and abdomen muscles. If you’re unsure how to properly stretch these muscle groups, ask your physical therapist for guidance — they are experts in this area!
3. Wear Proper Shoes
Shoes play an important role in maintaining the health of your knees. Wearing ill-fitting or inappropriate shoes can put undue strain on your kneecaps, leading to painful outcomes such as tendonitis and knee sprains.
If you do physical activities such as running, jogging, dancing and even walking for long distances, it is essential that you wear shoes specifically designed for these activities. Look for a pair that offer arch support, has good cushioning, and fits comfortably around your foot and ankle area.
Taking care to buy properly fitting shoes with appropriate padding will help minimize stress on your knees so they stay healthy over time.
4. Improve Your Posture
Your posture affects how your knees stay healthy. When you’re sitting or standing, make sure to shift your weight off of one knee by alternating between your legs as often as possible. This will prevent strain on one particular side of your body and help keep you comfortable for extended periods of time.
Additionally, check in with yourself periodically throughout the day to ensure that your back is straight and your shoulders aren’t hunched forward – this reduces pressure from the lower half of your body and can avoid stress on your joints.
A simple mantra is “shoulders down, chest up,” which helps remind you to maintain a proper posture when necessary!
5. Avoid Unnecessary Stress on Your Knees
High-impact activities and exercise can be great for improving knee health, but too much or too intense of a workout can put unnecessary stress on the joint which can lead to injury.
It’s important to find an activity level that is both challenging enough to give you results and safe enough to protect your knees from injury. If you are starting a new exercise program or have been inactive for a while, talk with your doctor about what kind of exercises are suitable for you.
Also, be sure to warm up before any physical activity in order to reduce the risk of injury.
6. Get Regular Check-Ups & Tests
It’s important to take some time out of your busy schedule to get regular check-ups and tests for your knees.
Your doctor can help diagnose any problems you may have before they become worse. They can also give you advice on how to best keep your knees healthy, such as the type of exercises to do or which supplements might be beneficial.
Additionally, if it turns out that your knee health isn’t quite where it should be, a doctor can develop a treatment plan and prescribe medications to help relieve pain and inflammation. Taking care of yourself now can save you from more serious issues later on down the road!
7. Add Supplements to Your Diet
If you’re experiencing knee pain or stiffness, you may want to add supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Studies have shown that these supplements can reduce symptoms of tendonitis and joint pain.
Taking a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids can also help relieve inflammation in the knees, which is often the cause of chronic knee pain. Additionally, if you are deficient in Vitamin D, adding a supplement to your diet can help improve bone density and lubricate the joints.
Discuss with your doctor before taking any new supplement to ensure it won’t interfere with any medications you are currently taking.
8. Get Enough Sleep
Getting sufficient sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle and helps to keep your body functioning correctly. High-quality sleep helps our muscles, including the ones in our knees, to repair and regenerate.
If you’re having difficulty sleeping, try some relaxation methods like yoga or meditation before bed, so that you can better prepare yourself for sleep. And don’t forget to give yourself enough time—often it takes more than seven or eight hours of restful sleep per night for optimal health.
Aim for 8-9 hours of quality sleep every night and you’ll be thankful you did!
Knee health is an important part of our overall well-being. Taking the necessary steps to protect your knees can help prevent injury and reduce pain in the future.
From adopting proper posture habits to getting regular check-ups and adding supplements to your diet, there are many ways you can keep your knees healthy.
With a few adjustments to your lifestyle, you can enjoy the benefits of healthy knees for years to come.
