Unfortunately, knee pain is a common occurrence. People both young and old can experience it, and it could be due to injuries, medical conditions or overuse. Some pain is handled by self-care or physical therapy, while other issues will require the attention of a medical professional and possibly medication. While not every type of knee pain can be avoided, there are some measures you can take to try and prevent knee pain from happening. The following are a few of those steps.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Your body is designed to hold your body, and not a bunch of extra weight. If you have begun to pack on the pounds, you’ll more than likely feel knee pain at some point. To avoid this, maintain a healthy weight. You can do this through a healthy, well-balanced diet, as well as through an exercise routine. If you notice your weight beginning to increase, re-evaluate your lifestyle and make some changes to get it back down.
Prepare for Physical Activity
If you play a sport, plan to run in a race or are considering taking up a new form of physical activity, you need to prepare for it. Schedule time to work with a trainer on movements required in your desired sport. If it’s a sport in which your legs play an important role, be sure you work on strength training your legs. You should also be sure to give yourself enough time to warm up your muscles before each game or race so your body is limber, warm and ready.
Include Flexibility Training in Your Routine
A regular workout routine is great to keep your muscles strong and your body ready for any physical endeavors, but don’t forget to include flexibility training in your routine. Many times, the lack of flexibility plays a role in an overuse injury, so you want those muscles to be able to bend and flex as you need them to.
Move Appropriately
Pay attention to how your body naturally moves and strengthen those movements. Learn how to do proper motions when exercising. For example, when you squat, your knees should be in line with your feet so as not to injure the muscles, tendons or ligaments. If you do have an issue with your knees, only participate in movements that will encourage healing, such as swimming or low-impact exercises.
Learning More About Knee Pain Relief
Sometimes you can’t avoid knee pain because it occurs due to an injury or an illness. There are some things you can do by way of prevention so as not to injure your knee further or cause unnecessary pain. To learn more, contact a chiropractor or knee doctor, like a knee pain doctor in Mesa, AZ at LifeCare Chiropractic, today.