From Bum Knees to Bee's Knees
What's the most common health concern for people over 65? It's not the usual suspects like heart trouble, cancer, or diabetes. It's joint problems -- mainly knee osteoarthritis.
How can you keep a dreaded knee replacement surgery out of your future? One option involves no medications, no diet restrictions, and no cost: Simply walk, stretch, and strengthen your leg muscles. Studies show that adults with knee arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain and disability. Don't have knee arthritis?
It's wishful thinking to argue that your couch potato ways are saving your knees from excess wear and tear. The truth is, a fear of knee arthritis is no reason to sideline yourself from physical activity -- even if you're carrying a few extra pounds. When researchers examined the long-term effects of exercise in a group of arthritis-free older adults -- many of them overweight -- they found that exercise didn't increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
And we all know the well-proven health benefits of being active, such as protecting your heart, building your bones, and helping you better fit into your clothes. So whether or not you have knee arthritis, exercise is your body's best friend.
One caveat: Keep it safe. Injuries do increase your risk of a bum knee. When you work out, follow these steps:
- Gear up. If you are walking, jogging, or running, make sure your shoes fit well. If you have flat feet, or your feet tend to roll inward, you may want to use shoe inserts -- also known as orthotics -- to prevent knee problems.
- Warm up. As part of a short warm-up period, stretch your front and back thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings). Check out this hamstring stretch.
- Work up. You should spend several weeks gradually working up to the intensity level and exercise duration you desire. Visit the RealAge Workout Center for a personalized fitness plan.
RealAge Benefit:
A physical activity program that builds stamina, strength, and flexibility can make your RealAge as much as 2.8 years younger.Do exercise and self-management interventions benefit patients with osteoarthritis of the knee? A metaanalytic review. Devos-Comby, L., Cronan, T., Roesch, S. C., Journal of Rheumatology 2006 Apr;33(4):744-756.
Effect of recreational physical activities on the development of knee osteoarthritis in older adults of different weights: The Framingham Study. Felson, D. T., Niu, J., Clancy, M., Sack, B., Aliabadi, P., Zhang, Y., Arthritis & Rheumatism 2007 Jan 31;57(1):6-12.
