5 Ways to Keep Your Knees in Great Shape

Paying attention to your knees will enable you to enjoy your life to the fullest for longer. While standard wear-and-tear is inevitable since our knees act as shock absorbers for the entire body, they can be kept in good shape by taking some precautionary measures to avert injuries and by doing things that result in hardier knees.

Many people correctly believe that they are as old as their knees. Knee joints tolerate a great deal of stress throughout our lifetime especially since they support our entire body weight. Every step you take puts considerable pressure on your them. Besides, if you factor in the degeneration that occurs if you are a regular long-distance runner or if you are overweight or if you lift heavy weights often as part of your job, your knees are bound to deteriorate faster than other joints.

Knee damage or the idea of it does not have to hinder your daily life. You can follow some simple strategies to keep your knees youthful for as long as you live. Here are some to get you started:

1. Aim For A Healthy Weight – Since your knees are responsible for holding up your entire body, it is vital that you do not overburden them. Maintaining a reasonable body mass index (BMI) is the key to good knees. If your knees support way more weight than they can handle, they will become prone to injuries and chronic inflammation.

2. Get The Right Workout Shoes – Wearing the right shoes can cut down the severity of the impact while exercising can and will help immensely in improving knee health. Cushioned shoes or knee braces can be very beneficial in reducing the pressure on your knees and can protect them from injuries.

3. Select A Low-Impact Workout – If you have started experiencing some level of knee pain, it is a good idea to give up high-impact activities like running or playing racquetball. Instead, pick up low-impact exercises like swimming, brisk walking or moderate-intensity cycling. Drills that have a low impact on your knees can be just as effective in keeping you fit and helping you lose excess weight as any other workouts.

4. Give Those High-Heeled Shoes a Pass – Your high heeled shoes might make you feel confident and beautiful, but they are quite harmful to your knees. Shoes with very high, pointed heels heighten the pressure on your knees and can significantly increase the chances of knee injuries. If you do not want to go completely flat, you can at least opt for shoes with moderate heels which are more uniform as opposed to a pair of stilettos.

5.  Do Not Stop Moving – One way to ascertain that you have healthy knees for long is to keep moving. Movement is instrumental in keeping the cartilage in the knee well-oiled. A 30-minute routine that begins and ends with stretching will help your knee stay free from pain and stiffness for years to come.

These initial steps, if taken on time, can prove to be very useful in enhancing knee health and giving you more years of the restriction-free movement.