Watch your steps!

Did you know? It is your knees that bears your body weight when you stand, walk or run. The well-being of knees is one thing most people take for granted and only realise when suddenly you experience knee pain out of nowhere. Knees are highly prone to injury and knee pain is one of the most common complaint amongst people of all ages. Research shows a huge increase in the number of knee replacements and surgeries in both men and women in the last five years.

Now the question is – what is the trick for good knee health?

Logically the most important and effective trick that comes to my mind is to exercise and strengthen the muscle area around the knees. One must keep exercising his/ her knees and avoid exercises like jumping and squats that put too much load on the knees. Best forms of exercises would be cycling, walking, swimming and the like.

I am sure you don’t want to age young, and complain about knee pain when life is meant to be enjoyed without pain killers. Here are a few tips to prevent or reduce knee pain to be followed regularly:

1. Get the correct dosage of calcium and vitamins daily. Also have protein supplements to strengthen your muscles.
2. Do aerobic exercise. Even when your knees are paining, it is advisable to exercise lightly. Always remain active and don’t let your muscles and joints become stiff. Build muscles around your joints so they can act as shock absorbent during your daily movements.
3. Maintain an appropriate body weight. Shed the extra pounds if your knees can’t take it. Learn to listen to your body, don’t exert yourself and know your body limits.

4. Stretch every day, this improves the movement of your joints and makes your body flexible. It will protect your knees from the daily wear and tear. I strongly recommend yoga or Pilates to build your bones and muscles, increase flexibility and tone your body.  
5. There are many simple exercises you can do at work or at a desk during busy work hours. Explore knee workouts that best suit your daily routine.
6. Wear the correct pair of shoes. It is very important that you are not using old shoes during exercising and running. Change your shoes every 300-500 miles or at least every year. There is no point in using shoes which cannot absorb the shock anymore.

With the above given preventive measures, keep in mind, the posture of your body, your knee should always be above your feet or not bent more than 90 degrees while performing lunges. With these you can potentially save yourself from the unnecessary knee and joint pain. Don’t let your knees suffer!