Knee pain can occur from a range of conditions — some people experience knee pain from arthritis, while others have nagging knee pain from a prior injury. Still others experience repetitive stress, mechanical issues, and tendinitis. At Integrated Body and Medicine, we specialize in treating knee pain through physical rehabilitation and regenerative medicine.
Whatever the cause of your knee pain, there are ways to make it better and, though probably unintentional, ways to make it worse. With that, here are five bad habits that might be making your knee pain worse.
If you’re an athlete or avid exerciser, you might think that more training is always better. That is not always the case. Training too much, without giving your body time for rest and recovery, can lead to inflammation and pain in both your muscles and joints.
Adequate rest is important for keeping your knees healthy, especially if you engage in weight-bearing or high-impact sports, like running and powerlifting.
On the flip side, long periods of inactivity can irritate your knees. You might feel intense pain when you do start moving, even with low-impact exercise like walking. You might feel tempted to avoid exercise because it triggers discomfort, but you need strong muscles to keep your knee joints stable and healthy, which exercise helps with.
You need strong muscles, but also flexible muscles. Flexibility and range of motion are two important factors when it comes to decreasing knee pain. Performing lower body stretches can increase the range of motion in your knee joint, making it easier to move.
Do you always sit cross-legged or with one leg stacked atop the other? Sitting with your knees in awkward positions can lead to increased knee pain, especially if you remain in said positions for long periods of time without moving around to shake out your legs.
Try sitting with both feet flat on the floor when you’re in a chair, and both legs extended if you’re on a couch or recliner.
Some shoes may place excess stress on your knees. High heels, for example, can make it hard to keep your knees stable and in an optimal position, especially while walking. The best type of shoe for knee pain is a soft, flexible, enclosed shoe — think minimalist tennis shoes that mimic barefoot walking.
To learn more about knee pain and what makes it better or worse, visit us at Integrated Body and Medicine for a consultation. Call our Highland, Indiana, office to schedule, or request an appointment online.
