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Few things can hijack your life like knee pain, making even a simple walk around the house a teeth-gritting proposition. If you’re among the one-quarter of adults in the United States who struggle with knee pain, there are some dos and don’ts that will help keep you on your feet and moving without pain.
At Western Orthopaedics, our team of orthopaedic surgeons, physician assistants, and physical therapists understands the widespread impact that knee pain can have on our patients, limiting their lives in significant ways.
Painful joints can be tricky to deal with, as both movement and rest play important roles in helping you find relief. If you suffer from knee pain at the hands of osteoarthritis, for example, we encourage you to move and strengthen your knee joints. After all, your joints are meant to move. By keeping them moving and engaging the surrounding muscles, you can reduce inflammation while also strengthening their support systems.
To help you safeguard these large joints, here’s a look at 4 bad habits that may be doing your knees more harm than good.
While we recommend exercising your achy knees, we advise that you steer clear of activities that pound these large joints. For example, it’s best you avoid running or activities that require jumping or pivoting. The extra strain on your already beleaguered knees won’t do them any favors, so we urge you to try alternative forms of exercise, such as yoga or swimming.
The best way to strike this balance is under the guidance of one of our expert physical therapists, who can show you the proper way to exercise and strengthen your knees.
Running around in old sneakers or shoes without the proper support can wreak havoc on your knees. If you engage in sports, there’s a shoe that fits most activities, and you should avail yourself of the right foot gear. For example, tennis shoes are far different from hiking shoes, especially when it comes to tread.
Another great way to add support for your knees through your foot wear is to outfit yourself with custom orthotics, which we supply here at our practice.
If you’re carrying extra pounds, your knees are bearing a lot of this weight. The health benefits of losing weight are almost too numerous to count, and we’re going to add joint health to this list, especially your knees.
Your knees are incredibly important in how you make your way through the world, which means there’s no time for heroics if your knees hurt. If your knees are becoming increasingly painful, your body is trying to tell you something, and you should heed the call.
When you come see us, we perform an extensive evaluation of your knees to determine the underlying problem so that we can get you back to pain-free mobility as quickly as possible. Not to mention, this type of early intervention can save you from much larger problems down the road.
If you’re struggling with knee pain, we urge you to contact one of our offices in Denver or Arvada, Colorado, so that we can tailor a treatment program that will put that spring back in your step.
