Care for your knee joints while using a treadmill

When you walk in a park or on the pavement, your body makes natural adjustments, in terms of speed, angle of contact, and stride length, to keep up with the terrain. However, when one walks on a treadmill, due to the constant speed of the moving belt, the walk is at a set speed and hits the knee joint at a constant angle. This causes stress at the same point over and over again, resulting in sore knees.

To avoid this knee pain and yet be able to use the convenience of a treadmill for the purpose of exercise, the following rules need to be followed:

Use the treadmill to walk rather than run. It is important to warm up and stretch to loosen up the joints and muscles. Don’t start directly on the belt of the treadmill. First, get on the treadmill, grab the handrails, and place your feet on either sides of the belt. Hit the ‘start’ button and when the belt starts moving slowly, then put your feet on the belt one at a time and start walking. Start by walking for 20-30 minutes and gradually work your way up to 45-60 minutes, three to four days a week.

It would be wise to start with a speed of 3 mph and graduate to 5-6 mph based on your individual capacity. Keep altering the speed at which you walk every five minutes, increasing it or decreasing it as required.

Make sure you wear the right shoes that fit well and cushion your feet to take the pressure off your knees. Pay attention to your posture. Avoid the tendency to lean forward as most people do. Keep your back straight and focus on your breathing whilst walking. Breathing in and out with every step is a good way to avoid feeling tired.

Incorporate stretches after the exercise as well. Stretch your entire body to prevent soreness and tightness. While using a treadmill regularly, remember, moderation is key.

PHOTO: ISTOCK