Knee pain is caused by a variety of different reasons. There may be underlying issues stemming from arthritis. But most of the time, knee pain is the result of wear and tear on the body.
Wear and tear deteriorate the ligaments and joints, putting you in severe pain. If this continues, you might also need a knee replacement. But, this result isn’t ideal for anyone.
Learn how to avoid knee replacement surgery by taking care of your body now.
How to Avoid Knee Replacement Surgery
Preventing a knee replacement is about persistence. Staying on top of your health is the only way to keep your joints from wearing down.
1. Watch Your Weight
You may wonder what weight has to do with your knees. The fact is, it’s a big factor in knee pain and deterioration.
Extra weight on your joints weighs your body down. It doesn’t take long before your body starts to shift the weight around. By then, cartilage and other materials wear down from friction.
If you’re consistent about keeping weight off, you’ll save your knees.
2. Strength and Exercise
Did you know your body has a way of holding itself in certain ways that can cause damage? When your muscles are weak, other parts of the body are forced to overcompensate.
By keeping the muscles in your legs and core strong, you take the work off important joints. The knees don’t have too much weight on them because it’s all distributed.
Along with strength, exercise can help ward off pain caused by osteoarthritis. Exercises such as swimming and cycling can provide pain relief while also strengthening.
Don’t forget the benefits of exercises that promote your range of motion. Yoga, tai chi, and swimming are perfect for the joints.
3. Be Careful About Exercise
While exercise is important, it’s critical not to over-exercise. Being overzealous with activity puts too much strain on the joints, resulting in wear.
The more information you find, the more you’ll see that taking it slow is healthiest. Never start strenuous activity without first stretching. And always make sure you don’t push yourself to do more than you can.
4. Take Some Rest
Listening to your body is a critical part of preventing knee replacements.
If you feel pain in your knees during activity, feel free to rest. In fact, resting is an important part of the healing process. Overuse can cause your knees to wear down fast.
Using braces and ice are also a good way to keep your knees healthy. The extra support of a brace or tape during activity will ward off injury. And ice after exercise will help reduce inflammation.
More Health Topics
When you learn how to avoid knee replacement, you learn how to protect the rest of your body, too. The key to long-term health is to care for your joints like your life depends on it. Because, without them, your quality of life diminishes.
Want to read more health topics? Here are five tips to care for your aching joints.