Keeping Your Knees Pain-Free

Knee problems send more than 5.5 million people to orthopaedic surgeons each year. The largest joint in your body, the knee is vulnerable to pain from years of pounding, twisting and turning from high-impact activities – or from osteoarthritis (OA), a gradual wearing away of the knee cartilage.

How can you prevent the pain or even a total knee replacement as you age? If you have OA, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) offers two recommendations:

STOP doing high-impact activities that twist and turn the joints. Soccer, basketball and volleyball lead the list, but running, tennis, racquetball and baseball also raise risk of knee injury.

START doing smooth, low-impact activities that are easier on the joints. Recommended activities include stretching, swimming, water aerobics, cycling, walking or playing golf.

Moderate physical activity lessens joint pain and improves flexibility and function, the AAOS says. So making the switch to lower-impact exercise may be good for anyone who wants to stay active well into their golden years.

Other options: Lose excess weight…take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen, ketoprofen or naproxen to decrease pain and discomfort so you can continue to exercise…talk to your doctor about glucosamine, a dietary supplement that evidence indicates relieves osteoarthritis pain.

Source: TopHealth Newsletter – August 2003