THINGS YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU HAVE KNEE PAIN
Here’s what you must keep in mind when you have knee pain:
1. Walk
Moderate walking is recommended for people with stiff and painful knees. Since it is a low-impact activity, it does not burden the knee joint. Long and slow walks are best for those people who avoid brisk walks. Moreover, daily walking helps in losing weight, since carrying extra weight puts additional stress on the knees.
2. Use knee-friendly exercise equipment
It’s important to use that equipment, which helps in reducing the burden on the kneecap and the muscles surrounding it. Stationary bikes and elliptical machines are knee-friendly, as one has to bend forward while exercising on these machines. This bent position helps in taking more weight off the knee joints.
3. Strengthen muscles
Quadriceps and hamstrings are two muscle groups that support knees. Therefore, if these muscles are strong, one may get compensation for the weak tendons, ligaments and joints. Using low-impact exercises to strengthen quads and hamstrings may alleviate pain and reduce chances of injury in the future.
4. Water exercises
Water’s buoyancy takes the load off the knees and helps in reducing stress and trauma on them. Therefore, those who suffer from knee pain must try exercising in water.
5. Don’t participate in high-impact activities
One should avoid exercises that cause exertion to the knees, especially if they have knee pain. Sports such as tennis, squash, basketball and football are hard on the knees, because they involve sudden starts, stops and turns. Activities that give a sudden shock to the knees tend to be pernicious for the knee joint.
