Simple Tips to Save Knees!! Life is Movement!

We need knee fitness for it. Knee Joint is used extensively in our day To day routine. But do we take care of it? Do we know about it a little bit?

Let us understand its structure.

Knee Joint is made up of three bones. Thigh bone, one leg bone & knee cap. Their surfaces taking part in joint are covered by smooth cartilage. They are nicely bound in a bag like structure (capsule) The Inner lining of this bag produces fluid to reduce friction during movement. The bands (ligaments) surrounding this bag help in mobility & stability of knee joint. Muscles around, move the knee joint into folding & straightening actions. The knee Joint bears 50% of our body weight in upright position, so also our hip joint & ankle joint. Then why knee joint suffers most & no other joints? It is because the bony surfaces forming joint are not matching well with each other.

Let us see how we take care of it.

• While standing we have to stand with awareness to bear body weight on both lower limbs equally…..50% + 50% ,not more on one limb
• While standing for long time, develop the habit of tightening the knee cap periodically.
• While walking, try to keep toes in, heels out pattern & not the reverse.
• While walking, we have to maintain total body awareness, in the form of tummy tuck in, rib cage up, shoulders pulled back & widened, head in line with trunk, gaze parallel to ground. This awareness keeps our weight bearing axis in optimum position.
• Appropriate foot wear, preferably well-fitting shoes help the knees.
• Prolonged standing, prolonged walking & sitting (cross legged) may injure the knee joint. We need to optimize our activity.
• To delay the wear & tear (Osteoarthritis) of our knee joint, we need to work on the muscles working on it.
• We have to stretch the calf & hamstring muscles by various techniques
• We have to strengthen the front thigh muscle (Quadriceps) To Keep our knee joint healthy & fit by various ways.
• We need to give sufficient rest to body & mind to help new cell formation (regeneration)

Let us take care of our dear knee Joint & explore the world!!

Dr Vineeta Ketkar

MBBS Family Physician 40+ years

8390572626 (whatsapp only)