How to Avoid Knee Pain
By
Health.com
May 16, 2014
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Are your knees killing you? Here are some of the best secrets to having happy knees.
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No more knee pain
The number-one secret for happy knees? Stay at a healthy weight. Every extra pound you pack on puts about 4
extra pounds of pressure on your knees when you walk or take the stairs.
"Women often come in complaining of knee pain, and it turns out it
started after they put on just 5 or 10 pounds," says Sara Edwards, MD,
an orthopedic surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Once
you shed that excess weight, though, symptoms improveand sometimes even
disappear.
Read on for more great knee-saving tips.
Read on for more great knee-saving tips.
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Don't bound up and down stairs
Unless you're in great shape, this puts serious stress on your kneecaps:
"If you weigh 150 pounds, that can mean as much as 600 pounds going
through your knees," says Robert Gotlin, DO, director of orthopedic and sports rehabilitation at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Walk, and hold onto the railing for added support.
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Don't stroll on the grass
If you have osteoarthritis or have ever had a knee injury, choose
sidewalks or worn paths instead of grass or cobblestone, which put more
strain on your knees and up your risk of tripping.
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Don't overdo squats and lunges
Don't bend your leg beyond a 90-degree angle; make sure your knee stays
directly over your foot.
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Work your inner thighs
Strong hip adductor muscles (a.k.a. inner thigh muscles) are crucial for
absorbing stress while you walk, so you're not straining your knee. A
simple way to start: Try squeezing your knees together whenever you're
sitting.
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Don't set the bike seat too low in spin class
Make sure you're sitting high enough that your knee straightens out when
the pedal is at its lowest point.
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