It's too late to 'raise' your knees when you get old! Reminder: To protect the knee joint, start with these four methods

Lao Huang is 40 years old this year and is busy with work on weekdays. In order to relieve stress and exercise, he often runs and climbs mountains

Lao Huang is 40 years old this year and is busy with work on weekdays. In order to relieve stress and exercise, he often runs and climbs mountains. In recent days, Lao Huang has been feeling stiffness and swelling in his knee joints, and the pain after exercise is unbearable. Sitting for a long time makes it difficult to stand up, and sometimes the stairs make a clicking sound when going up and down.

After taking a photo at the hospital, I realized that I hadSevere knee joint wearIt's obviousKnee osteoarthritis

They all say thatThe roots of old trees wither first, and the legs of old people age firstAnd 'leg aging' often starts from the knee joint. As the largest joint in the human body, it has a complex structure and is maintained by soft tissues for stability and participation in sports. At the same time, it also participates in various human activities, whether it is daily activities or physical exercise. Any carelessness can cause knee joint wear and damage.

Not only do many elderly people suffer from arthritis, but many young people also enter the ranks of osteoarthritis early on because they do not pay attention to health care and use their knees correctly. So, how can we maintain it scientifically,Reduce knee joint wear and prolong joint lifespanWhat about it? Let's hear what professional orthopedic doctors say!

Severe knee joint wear

Our knee joint lifespan is extremely short, with only about 15 years of 'golden age', and the rest of the time will experience different types and degrees of pain due to different reasons.Some of them are noteworthy 'warning signals'.

At the age of 30-40, most people already have cartilage in their legsMild wear and tear,SoA few weeks or monthsWill feelKnee joint sorenessThis is also the first "warning signal" for the knee joint.

The patellar cartilage is a site without nerve distribution, and this "warning pain" only occurs once. Many people even overlook it before the entire layer of cartilage wears out. But in reality, this is the knee joint reminding you,The initial wear and tear has already occurred, and we cannot do as we please!

Between the ages of 40 and 50, after walking, one may feelPain on the medial side of the knee jointTake a break or massage with your hands to return to normal. This' warning signal 'is reminding you,The meniscus may have undergone degenerative changes.The process of degeneration stimulates the nerves on the meniscus, producing a sense of soreness,Joint maintenance should also start to be taken seriously.

Over 50 years old, the knee joint often feels obvious pain, and such a "warning signal" indicates:Full layer wear of cartilage,Arthritis has already developed. When people reach the age of retirement, their joints also reach the time of 'retirement',It is necessary to reduce strenuous exercise so that it can also "take care of itself".

The lifespan of the knee joint is so short that it is even more difficult to reverse if there is an injury. The occurrence of excessive wear and the deterioration of osteoarthritis are mostly caused byPoor lifestyle habits, incorrect exercise habitsCausing. If we can overcome misconceptions and avoid human harm, we can greatly reduce the wear and tear of the knee joint.

Myth 1: Climbing mountains and buildings is a good way to "exercise" the knee joint

Many middle-aged and elderly people consider mountain climbing as their preferred form of exercise. However, it should be noted that mountain climbing and climbing stairs are essentially complex activities centered around the knee joint,Joint rotation and compression are both contributing factors to meniscus injuryIf the force is not applied properly, it may also causeMuscle sprains or ligament strains.

The mountain road is uneven, and there is significant pressure on the patella and femur when walking; The mountain climbing lasts for a long time, and this kind ofChronic and continuousOveruse andRepeated frictionFor knee joint synovium and fat pad, it is a great strain and is prone to wear and congestion.

Myth 2: Grinding off bone spurs can cure osteoarthritis

Life experience tells us that kneading the knee can alleviate pain when it hurts, and moving the knee when it feels stiff can gradually make it more flexible. Many friends believe that just increasing the amount of exercise and rubbing the knee vigorously can "grind off" bone spurs and reduce joint discomfort, but in reality, these understandings are all great misconceptions.

Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, often form at the joint site and are a self repairing pathological process. As people age, joint stability gradually decreases, and in order to maintain its stability, the body forms bone spurs. The essence of bone spurs is bone tissue, and without compressing nerves or causing severe pain,There is no need to deliberately "grind it flat".

Appropriate exercise can enhance the ligaments around the joints and increase joint stability; Gently rubbing the knee can also promote local blood circulation and eliminate fatigue.But blindly increasing the amount of exercise and rubbing the cartilage with excessive force will only further exacerbate the wear and tear of the cartilage, making the already fragile and diseased knee joint worse, causing more severe pain.

Myth 3: As long as you wear protective gear, everything will be fine

Some people are accustomed to wearing wrist protectors, knee protectors, and other protective gear when exercising, and always feel that as long as they wear protective gear, everything will be fine and avoid injury. Little did one know"Use in, waste out"Relying solely on knee pads, the muscles and fascia around the knees become increasingly fragile without exercise.

It may even lead to incorrect movement posture becoming a habit, causing the knee joints to suffer more severe wear and tear without knee protectors.

The knee joint is a typical "skin and bone", and from a physiological perspective, the knee joint areaLack of muscle and fat, only a thin fascia connecting the muscles

Tip 1: Correct exercise method, strengthen muscles and bones

Excessive exercise is the culprit of knee joint wear, while appropriate exercise can strengthen the surrounding tissues of the joints, reduce uneven stress, and reduce wear.

The quadriceps femoris muscle is located in the front of the thighRectus femoris, lateral femoris, medial femoris, and intermediate femorisFour sets of muscles are composed, responsible for supporting the body and walking. When the quadriceps femoris muscle atrophy and degenerate,Insufficient stability of the knee tendons can easily lead to knee joint wear.

Strengthen the exercise of quadriceps femoris muscleIt can effectively reduce wear and tear. The simple exercise of quadriceps femoris muscle only needs a rake chair,Stand with your feet side by side, naturally standing straight throughout your body, and hold onto a chair to maintain balance. Afterwards, slowly shift the center of gravity to the forefoot and stand on tiptoe to relax for five seconds, repeating ten times a day.

Apart from the exercise of quadriceps femoris muscle,SwimmingSwimmingModerate exercise and acting within one's abilitiesWarm up preparation and local stretching,Choose comfortable clothing and shoes, perform movements under professional guidance, and rest in a timely manner when there is pain to avoid transportation

Tip 2: Reduce joint weight and take drastic measures

Reducing load is the root cause of reducing wear and tear,This is often overlooked by people. Research shows that in a resting and upright state, the knee undergoes pressure equivalent to its weight, while walking, it undergoes pressure twice its weight, while climbing mountains or buildings, it undergoes pressure 3-4 times its weight, and even reaches 9 times its weight during deep squats.

Therefore, in daily life, in addition to reducing excessive weight and maintaining lightness, it is also important to avoidDeep squats, wide angle knee flexion, repeated joint impactBehavior that increases weight bearing on the knee joint. When working in a sitting or squatting position for a long time, one should frequently change positions and move joints. Crutches and hiking sticks can also be used as auxiliary support for walking and climbing stairs, reducing the weight on the knee joints.

Tip 3: Pay attention to preventing cold and warmth, and stay away from dampness and evil spirits

There is no fat protection on the knee, local heat is easily lost, and the temperature is often lower than other parts. As cartilage, the articular surface has fewer blood vessels and poorer circulation.Under cold stimulation, local blood vessels contract,Slow circulation and insufficient heat supply are not conducive to knee maintenance. Severe cases may also cause aseptic knee osteoarthritis or synovitis.

In addition,Dampness can also damage the lifespan of the knee jointCold and humidStay away from ventilation openings and maintain a comfortable living environmentDry and warmPay attention to keeping your lower limbs warm and avoid getting cold in your joints

If the cold has caused soreness, it can be usedWarm water bag hot compressSoak your feet in hot water for about 15 minutes

Tip 4: Dietary auxiliary conditioning, doubling the effect

shellfishFood can help increase synovial fluid in bones and joints, reducing friction between joints,Moderate calcium supplementation helps

From an internal perspective, eat more in winterLamb, chicken, pork belly, hairtail

When walking

When walkingKnee tenderness, swelling, and clickingKnee joint patellar malaciaIf your knee also has the following symptoms, it is important to pay extra attention and seek medical attention promptly if necessary:

  1. Pain in the front of the knee joint, deep pain in the patella,Commonly seen when climbing stairs or after sitting for a long time;
  2. Often presentThe feeling of softening the knees and legsEspecially noticeable when going downstairs;
  3. Grind the painful area left and right with your hands, which can haveObvious friction or friction sound

Knee joint patellar malacia

This situation is more common among people who need to engage in vigorous exercise or heavy physical labor for a long time,Running, jumping, twisting, squattingExcessive movement;Heavy physical labor such as moving, lifting, and carryingWearing high heels for a long timeKnee joint patellar malacia

reference:

[1] How to Protect the Health of the Knee Joint [J]. Health Guide, 2020,26 (02): 64

[2] Zhang Yingze. Should knee joint wear be replaced or knee protection [J]. Jiangsu Health Care, 2022 (08): 6-7


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