How to Prevent Knee Pain

Impact-oriented exercise can harm your knees if your knees are prone to arthritis (osteoarthritis) and chronic pain. To prevent knee injuries, inflammation and pain I recommend you to become familiar with your own body and try to learn which exercise is good for you and how to perform that correctly. I suggest you go for treadmill judiciously or opt an elliptical machine to prevent knee pain.

Runner’s Stretch

Runner’s stretch is the common problem that causes knee injuries in sportspersons. It tends to increase knee pain and also lead to chondromalacia patella (associated with softening of the cartilage under knee cap). Repeating movements and extensive running can cause this condition.

Knee Wrap

You might have done this thing yourself or noticed someone doing it: Some people with or without knee problems wrap their knees with a band during running or exercise. They do it to stabilize their joint or to feel better while working. Neither it hurt your knee nor help to prevent injury, but wrapping the band too tightly can cause knee problems. When you are wrapping something around your knee joint ensure that you are doing it comfortably without applying any excess pressure.

How to Prevent Knee pain?

You can prevent knee injuries and chronic knee pain by adopting the following measures:

The problem of your knee pain can sometimes lie in your heel – yes, it is a fact. It may be due to improper balance and leg alignment owing to wrong type of shoes or footwear. Proper shoes with perfect fit and alignment can help maintain proper balance and help reduce the chances of knee pain and injuries.

Manage weight

If you have excess weight or extra weight, you are putting more pressure and burden on your knees. It can also make you prone to osteoarthritis. Therefore, maintain your weight according to your age and size. An ideal boy weight decreases the chances for knee pain and injuries.

Strengthen your Knee Muscles

If you are prone to arthritis or knee pain or knee injuries, it is better to strengthen your leg muscles which will help support your knees and prevent injuries while working out with weights. It is better to consult a sports coach or a physiotherapist first.

Warm Up

Prior to indulging in any activity either walking, running or exercising or lifting weight at the gym, do stretches and warm up. Stretch front and back muscles of your thigh and calf muscles. It will help relive tension and pressure in the tendons – which would ultimately relive pressure on the knees.

Prefer low-impact exercise

You can do this at the gym by opting for a skiing machine or rowing machine. Both these machines provide excellent workout with low impact on your knees.

Maintain your activity levels

It is better to improve your activity levels rather than decreasing them. When you decrease your activity, it will make your muscles weak and increases your chances of injuries.

Focus on intensity

Never change your working intensity or intensity of exercise abruptly – rather build it gradually to prevent knee injury and pain.

Walking and swimming is the best activity outside the gym. Prefer this type of activity when you are not working at gym.

Bottom Line

If you have knee pain or injury then see a specialist doctor to rule out the underlying cause. This will ensure safety of your knee joint and prevent the problem getting worse. A joint specialist doctor may recommend you to take the help of a physiotherapist – who will guide you in setting up an appropriate exercise regimen.

Dr. Vasudeva Juvvadi