Nearly 20% of Americans report having knee pain, which, if left unaddressed, can worsen over time, damage joints and result in disability. Pain in your knees could be brought on by an injury, but you shouldn’t disregard the possible bad habits that, over time, could also result in unpleasant symptoms. Keep on reading to learn more about the most common unhealthy behaviors which may be worsening your existing knee pain or could put you at risk of it in the future.
1. Failing to address the inflammation appropriately
Knee pain, like almost all other types of pain, frequently has an underlying inflammatory origin. Even brief periods of overuse can cause your immune system to go into a cycle of inflammatory reactions meant to “heal” the affected area.
If the inflammation remains at a low level, the pain that it was supposed to alleviate could come back. If you continue the habits that first made your knees hurt, the inflammatory cascade and the pain it causes can quickly get out of hand. You may reduce this inflammation and pain by eating an anti-inflammatory diet or using anti-inflammatory medications.
2. Wearing high-heeled shoes
Your gait may change if you wear high heels, which can strain your knees even more. A strong link exists between wearing high heels and an increased incidence of osteoarthritis in the knee. Hence, the higher the heels of your shoes, the more chances of developing knee pain you have.
3. Not using knee pads
Do you find gardening to be an enjoyable experience? Frequently play with your children or grandchildren? Do you often scrub the kitchen floors on your hands and knees? Or perhaps you play volleyball? If any of these activities apply to you, you should know that any activity that requires kneeling might aggravate your discomfort. Even more so, enjoying such activities without wearing kneepads can aggravate your pain and perhaps cause more harm.
4. Not avoiding pain-causing activities
If you know that playing basketball or tennis irritates your knees, you may need to discontinue or minimize how much you play. The same is true for other movements, such as bending over or climbing stairs. By avoiding unpleasant activities, you will allow your knee to heal and prevent further injury. You can continue with your activities once the discomfort has subsided, ideally after making some changes to prevent the pain from recurring.
5. Being overweight
The risk of injury and associated pain increases when your joints have to handle more weight. According to research, every 2.2 pounds gained increases discomfort by 1.9 points on a scale of 500. Losing weight is linked to less knee pain, but it may be even more crucial to avoid gaining weight in the first place to safeguard your knees.
6. Living a sedentary lifestyle
Even if you don’t have excess weight, your chances of suffering from knee pain and injury increase if your muscles are weakened or out of shape. Your quadriceps and hamstrings must be strengthened on a regular basis because they support your knees.
7. Not warming up before physical activity
Without a good warm-up before exercise, you run a significant chance of injuring your knees. Stretch for at least 10 minutes to prepare your muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the strain of your workout. When you’re done, you should also let your body cool down.
8. Eating a poor diet
You may start gaining unnecessary weight from an improper diet heavy in sugar and unnutritious meals. Changing your eating habits to include meals high in protein, fiber, and vitamins could be helpful not only to your knees but to your overall health as well.
