Have you ever experienced knee pain?
The kind that
slows
you down in life
,
niggles
when you walk up and down the
stairs,
hurts every time
you bend down,
aches when you
sit
, and just generally
leaves you feeling frustrated
wondering
when it’s finally going to wear off…
If that sounds like
you, you’re not alone.
Painful knees
are
one of the most common things we see people living with at the
clinic.
And a lot of people get frustrated because they don’t understand
WHY it’s happening to them.
Some people think knee
pain is just a part of ‘getting old’, because a friend or close family member
told them it happens to everyone. Some people are told it’s just wear and tear
and everyone gets it.
Some people think
knee pain is one of those things that comes and goes, hoping it’ll magically
disappear one day when they wake up… (but it ends up staying longer, and
sometimes gets worse).
The sudden onset of
knee pain can be confusing. Sometimes it happens because of a nasty fall or a
movement you did that set it off.
But more often than
not we see people suffering with knee pain because of
everyday habits
we do without even realising.
Maybe these habits
are making your knee pain worse too?
Here’s 3 of the most
common bad habits we see people doing…
1.
Wearing The Wrong
Shoes
It’s sad but true,
your favourite pair of heels, or smart suit shoes, could be causing your knee
pain (and making it worse).
High heels change the
way you walk, as do smart suit shoes that are too tight, placing additional
stress on your knees.
To combat this,
wear
shoes with cushioning.
Shoes with good cushioning can absorb the
impact of your foot hitting the ground, preventing the shock from getting to
your knees. Specialised inserts (like Orthotics) are perfect for offering more
comfort and protecting your knees.
And about high heels,
you don’t have to give them up altogether, save them for special occasions
instead.
2.
Sitting With Your
Legs Bent
There’s so much
‘gossip’ that surrounds knee pain, but this is fact…
you and I were not
designed to sit.
It goes against every basic, fundamental rule of the
way we originally evolved as humans.
When you sit at a
desk, or in a chair with your knees bent underneath, you’re stretching
ligaments and muscles and placing your knee in a position that is un-natural –
and a position knees really aren’t built to be in for too long.
Limit the amount of
time you sit with your knees bent, and keep them out straight for as long as
possible – and keep them moving too.
3.
Resting……..Too Much
A lot of people we
see think ‘rest’ is the solution to getting rid of knee pain. But when you’re
told to ‘rest’, rest doesn’t mean laying on the sofa watching your favourite TV
series back to back all day long.
It means not doing ‘too much’.
I’m not saying rest
isn’t important – it is!
The problem with too much rest
is
that it makes your joints tight and stiff. Try to do low-impact exercises that
don’t put too much strain on your knees.
Remember our bodies are
meant to move. Moving helps to loosen stiffness and allow joint fluid to
lubricate the joints, making movement easier.
You could go swimming,
enjoy a light walk, Pilates, go for a cycle – all of these exercises are great
for fitness and for your knees.
Are you doing any of these three things?
If your answer is
‘yes’, putting an end to these three habits today will help ease your knee
pain, and stop it from getting any worse than it needs to be.
There’s obviously so
much more you can do too – like do exercises which have been tailored for you,
and your knee pain, by a Physio, and get hands-on specialist treatment.
But these are the
fundamentals. If you apply them daily,
you’ll feel a huge difference.
BONUS!!
If you want more
information
on what you can do to recover from Knee Pain, we have a
Knee Pain event
that we run at the clinic.
It lasts 60 minutes
and it’s FREE for you to come along and discover exactly how you, or a loved
one, can finally unlock the agonising mystery of knee pain, and how to get back
the life that you deserve, for good.
If you are interested
in attending this event, please feel free to contact the clinic.
If you require any further information on knee pain then click
here
, or call us on 028 92666959, or email info@gavnoble.com