5 WAYS TO REDUCE KNEE PAIN
A FEW LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN IMPROVE STRENGTH & KEEP YOU MOVING!
EAT SMART: Switching to a Mediterranean diet is a good place to start says the Arthritis Foundation. “The disease-fighting power of the Mediterranean diet stems from its ability to regulate inflammation by focusing on antiinflammatory foods (berries, fish, olive oil) and excluding or limiting pro-inflammatory ones (red meat, sugar and most dairy).” Also, a healthier diet can help shed some pounds — taking pressure off those aching joints.
KEEP ACTIVE: Exercise strengthens joint muscles and improves cartilage health — leading to less pain. The Mayo Clinic suggests aerobic exercises that are easy on joints, including “walking, bicycling, swimming and water aerobics. Try to work up to 150 minutes of somewhat hard aerobic exercise every week. Exercise 10 minutes at a time if that’s easier on your joints.”
GO HOT AND COLD: According to ArthritisHealth, “applying heat to painful joints can ease your discomfort. It can increase blood flow to sore muscles, loosen stiff joints, and distract the brain from pain. Applying a cold compress to the skin over the affected joint can reduce painful inflammation.”
SHOE IN: “Wear sturdy proper shoes,” say the experts at Henry Ford Health. “If you wear shoes that are worn-out (or shoes without a sturdy sole), it can shift the way you walk and run, making your knees more prone to deterioration and injury.”
BRACE FOR IT: A knee brace can also help limit pain, according to the folks from Penn Medicine. “By putting pressure on the sides of the joint, the brace causes the joint to realign, which in turn decreases the contact between the two rough bone surfaces, reduces pain and increases mobility.”