healthy knee

Healthy Knee

31. Seek expert opinion
If the problem is serious, the most important thing is to get a correct diagnosis from a specialist, so that you know exactly what needs treating. The specialist will ask you questions and move your knee. From that they will usually be able to make a diagnosis, although your knee may also need a scan so the specialist can be sure of whats going on. Following this you will get a chance to discuss possible treatments.
32. Remember you have options
Even with more serious problems, you always have choices and those choices dont have to involve surgery. Even if you have torn the cartilage in your knee, you may not need an operation the figures show that around one in three to one in two cases recover from damage like that without surgery. The really important thing is to know what the different approaches and options are, so that youre in the best position to choose.
33. And finally the surgical approach
If you do reach the stage where you are discussing surgery, the most likely is an arthroscopy, keyhole surgery into the knee. The surgeons can do all kinds of things that way trim torn cartilage, smooth weight-bearing surfaces and even repair torn cartilage. Then there are other forms of reconstructive surgery bigger operations that can reconstruct the ligaments or even replace the whole knee. But these major operations arent without risk and they may not always succeed sometimes its much better to go without them, so its important to get as much advice as you can on your particular case. Knee replacements are much more successful than they used to be but theyre still only really for people who have tried everything else and simply arent mobile enough.
34. On your bike again
Finally, if you do have surgery, youll need to do follow-up. No operation, however brilliantly successful, is going to do the job properly if you dont put the work in afterwards. You should be given exercises to follow, and its absolutely crucial that you do them to get your knee back into shape. There are no quick-fixes here were back to that first point that knees, like all your joints, need regular exercise
35. 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 improve and sometimes even disappear.
36. Dont bound up and down stairs
Unless youre 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.
37. Dont 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.
38. Work your inner thighs
Strong hip adductor muscles (a.k.a. inner thigh muscles) are crucial for absorbing stress while you walk, so youre not straining your knee. A simple way to start Try squeezing your knees together whenever youre sitting.
39. Watch Your Weight
Research shows that carrying even a little extra weight triples your chances of developing arthritis. Every pound you carry puts an average of five pounds of added stress on your knees when you move, so being just 10 pounds overweight is like having 50 extra pounds of pressure on your joints. Research also has shown, however, that for a woman of average height, losing as little as 11 pounds may cut the risk of osteo-arthritis of the knee by up to 50%.
40. Exercise
Motion is lotion for your knees. Strengthening the front and back muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings, respectively) of the thighs can help prevent knee trouble especially in women, who are five to seven times more likely to suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is among the most serious knee problems. One way to reduce your risk of such an injury is to practice jumping and landing on a slightly bent knee. Aim to strength-train your legs two to three times a week to build and keep from losing muscle mass.