How to look after your knees

Introduction

Knees are the most important joints in your body, and they’re especially important as we get older. If you have any kind of knee problem, it can affect every aspect of your life: walking, running, even just sitting down on the floor to play with your kids. If you take care of your knees now—and maybe even if you don’t think you need to—you’ll be able to keep doing all those things for many years to come.

There are a lot of things you can do to help keep your knees healthy.

Exercise regularly. Take the stairs, walk for at least 30 minutes each day, and do leg-strengthening exercises three times a week.
Wear the right shoes. Choose shoes that support your feet and ankles, have enough space in the toe area so that your toes aren’t crammed together, and have shock absorption materials or springs in them (like shoes with air pockets). If you already have knee problems, talk with a physio or podiatrist before buying new shoes because it might be best not to overdo it on running until you’re fully recovered from surgery or other injuries.
Eat a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains (such as oats), lean meats such as chicken breasts; avoid fried foods like chips or fries; limit sweets (sugar) intake if possible; drink plenty of water during exercise sessions.* Keep your weight down: Obesity puts extra stress on all parts of our bodies including our joints which can lead to joint degeneration over time.* Stay flexible and strong: Regular stretching exercises after exercise sessions will help keep muscles toned while also preventing injury—especially important if you spend most days sitting down at work! Stretching also helps prevent soreness after workouts too 🙂

Keep your weight down.

Managing your weight is a key factor in keeping your knees healthy. Exercise and a balanced diet are the best ways to achieve this, but don’t be tempted by fad diets or supplements – stick with a healthy diet and find an activity you enjoy.

Your daily calorie intake needs to be balanced, so make sure that you eat enough fibre-rich foods (wholegrain breads and cereals), protein sources (lean meat, fish etc.) and plenty of fruit and vegetables each day. Avoid sugary drinks such as colas, opt for water instead!

Choose activities that aren’t hard on your knees.

Swimming, walking and cycling are all great ways to keep your knees healthy. Activities that put a lot of stress on the knees include:

tennis
hockey
rugby
squash
cricket

Stay flexible and strong.

Stretching regularly is a great way to keep your knees healthy, as it helps to avoid the formation of scar tissue and can prevent stiffness. The best stretches are those that target the muscles around your kneecap (the quadriceps). To do this, simply sit on a chair with both feet flat on the floor and bend one leg so that your foot comes up towards your bottom. Then cross your other leg over so that you’re sitting in an L-shaped position.

Stretching is just one part of looking after your knees – strength training is also highly recommended for strengthening these important joints. Try squats or lunges with weights in each hand or ankle weights if you need more resistance. You can also try knee push ups or wall sits to build up muscle tone around this area too

Get enough rest.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, adequate sleep is important for all aspects of health. Your body needs rest in order to repair itself and function properly. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your immune system suffers, making you more likely to get sick. It can also make depression worse or even cause it in the first place. And if you’re so exhausted that sleeping through an earthquake seems like a good idea… well… we’d rather not think about that one too much.

As with most things regarding health and fitness, how much sleep you need depends on your age and activity level:

Infants should get 14-17 hours of sleep per day (with two naps during the day)
Pre-school children need 11-13 hours of sleep each night; school age children require 10-11 hours; adolescents should get 9-10 hours every night; adults need 7-8 hours per night

Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control if you have heart disease or diabetes.

Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
You should avoid alcohol, especially if you have had a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems.
Foods high in sodium (salt) can raise blood pressure. So can too much salt in your diet, so limit the amount of salt added when cooking or eating food at home, as well as when eating out at restaurants. Read food labels to see how much sodium is in prepared foods such as soups and sauces; try to choose those with less than 1 gram of sodium per serving. Also watch out for hidden sources of sodium like bread crumbs from fried chicken nuggets that may be on salads at restaurants or casseroles made with canned soup.
Limit saturated fat from fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products such as cheese and ice cream by choosing leaner meats instead (less than 10 grams fat per serving), trimming visible fat from meat before cooking it, avoiding buttery sauces such as hollandaise sauce used with seafood dishes and asking for dressing on the side instead of adding extra oil or butter to pasta salad recipes (you’ll still get plenty of flavour).

Wear the right shoes for your sport and replace them when they wear out.

Wear the right shoes for your sport and replace them when they wear out.
Have your feet measured to get the right size. Don’t guess—if you buy a shoe that’s too big, it will rub on your foot and cause blisters or other problems.
If you’re prone to blisters, use blister plasters when you exercise or play sports so that any pressure points on your feet are cushioned from friction with the inside of the shoe.

You can protect yourself from injury and pain by looking after your knees in advance

By taking the appropriate steps, you can protect yourself from injury and pain by looking after your knees in advance.

Keep good posture to avoid pressure on the knee joint. If you’re sitting for long periods of time, try to maintain a neutral position by sitting with both feet firmly on the floor with knees bent at 90 degrees and hips tilted slightly forward.
Find shoes that are comfortable and supportive, but not too tight or restrictive – they should allow toes and tendons room to move freely within them. Check how well they fit by trying them out for size when buying new shoes.
Stretch regularly by doing exercises such as lunges and squats; these will strengthen muscles around the knees which will help support them better if there is any strain put on them during activity such as running or walking outdoors via uneven surfaces like fields where there may be potholes etc!
Ensure that you have an adequate intake of nutrients (fruits/vegetables etc) each day along with sufficient hydration levels so that this helps keep joints lubricated well enough so nothing gets stuck in them causing inflammation due to friction between joints which could damage the cartilage over time if left untreated!

Conclusion

We hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and ask!