What your knees are trying to tell you

Your knees are one of the most important parts of your body. The knee joint does a lot of work for your body and although they are meant to last you forever, they may go through wear and tear over time. The knee joint is prone to injury so it is important to understand the proper way to take care of them when they are in pain.

Exercise is one of the most important factors in having a healthy knee. By keeping the knee joint moving, you are allowing the cartilage and meniscus to soak up nutrients that are provided within the joint fluid. This joint fluid will only be produced with movement, which is why it is important to remain active throughout your life. When exercising, you must understand how much strain the exercise you are doing is putting on your knee. Each activity, whether is it running or cycling, puts an unique strain on your knee and can affect your knee in various ways. By knowing these strains you will be able to choose what exercise is best for how your knee is feeling at that time.

How much weight and pressure you put on your knee is another factor that can lead to knee pain. By staying in shape you will be able to put less pressure on your knee and you will be less likely to have pain. Another tip to take some pressure away from your knee is by putting that pressure somewhere else. By keeping your hamstrings, quadriceps, and lower leg muscles strong, you will be able to evenly distribute the pressure and weight you put onto your legs.

As you age you may begin to feel more and more pain in your knee. This pain comes from the stiffening of your cartilage and menisci. When this happens it becomes even more important to make sure you are taking proper care of your knee. It is important that as you age, you continue to keep your knee flexible. By remaining flexible, your knee will not lose its full range of motion and will stay limber.

Never neglect your knees! If you do feel knee pain starting make sure to get it checked out by a professional. Do not try to fight through the pain because you can end up hurting your knee even more. Consult a physical therapist about what to do about your knee pain and how to relieve any discomfort that you may be feeling.

Lake Country Physical Therapy & Sportscare PC offers the very best physical therapy in Ontario County. We treat all your wants and needs with our trusted and experienced Physical Therapists and staff. To begin to feel pain and stress free, start your Physical Therapy journey today and schedule your evaluation by calling (585) 396-1400.