Are you or somebody you know experiencing chronic, daily, annoying knee pain lately?
You know, the sudden knee pain that ruins your quality of life. It hurts every time when bending, squatting, walking or having to go up and down the stairs, aches when you sit or even try to exercise, and just generally leaves you feeling frustrated – wondering when it’s finally going to go away…
If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.
Chronic Knee Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis - Healthline
Painful knees are one of the most common things we see people living with at the LEVEL4 PT & Wellness. 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 doctor, friend or close family member told them so.
Many people think knee pain is one of those things that come 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 sudden fall or an awkward movement you did that set it off.
But more often than not we see people suffering from knee pain because of everyday habits we do without even realizing it.
Maybe these habits are making your knee pain worse too?
Here are 4 of the most common bad habits we see people doing…
Knee Pain: Wearing the Wrong Shoes
It’s sad but true, your favorite pair of heels, casual shoes or even business shoes could be causing your knee pain (and making it worse).
Here’s why... Wearing high heels will increase the pressure through your knees by about 25 times. Reverse that, and it means if you wear a nice soft cushioned pair of shoes instead, your knees would be experiencing 25 times less pressure and force placed upon them.
Imagine how much relief you’d feel if you could take that type of stress off your knee joint right now?
But understand that it’s a cumulative effect. This pressure builds up from wearing the wrong footwear over a period of weeks and years and results in a weak and stiff knee joint somewhere around the age of 40 - 45.
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. Specialized inserts (like Orthotics) are perfect for offering more comfort and protecting your knees.
And ladies - about high heels, you don’t have to give them up altogether, save them for special occasions instead.
Sitting for >20 Minutes with Your Knees Bent
There’s so much ‘gossip’ that surrounds knee pain. But this is a FACT... you and I were not designed to sit. It goes against every basic, fundamental rule of the way we are originally created 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 unnatural – and it really wasn’t supposed to be in for very long.
Limit the amount of time doing it and keep your knees straight whenever possible.
Squatting Incorrectly During Exercise
Repeatedly squatting to the ground when your knees excessively move forward because your heels come off the ground - can get you into trouble.
You end up placing more stress and friction on your knees. Repeat this form over and over again and you are setting yourself up for having angry knees.
If squatting hurts your knees—and you’re not suffering from an injury—it’s maybe because you’re making your knees do more of the work than the hips. Learning how to utilize the hips during a squat is important if you want to make them more joint-friendly.
And that’s important because your hips are a larger, more prominent joint than your knees. They’re designed to handle larger loads.
If you need some assistance as to what exercises appropriately load the hips versus the knees, check out the videos I included in a previous blog:
< 4 Safe and Effective Exercises To Ease Angry Knees. >
Too Much Resting
A lot of people we see in the clinic think ‘rest’ is the solution to getting rid of knee pain. But when you’re told to ‘rest’ (even by your medical doctor), rest doesn’t mean complete rest. 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.
You could go swimming, enjoy a light bike ride, Pilates, yoga – all of these exercises are great for fitness and for your knees.
Are you doing any of these four things?
If your answer is ‘yes’, putting an end to these four 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 Physical Therapist, and get hands-on specialist treatment.
But these are the fundamentals. If you apply them daily, you’ll feel a huge difference.
If you’d like some more amazing, actionable tips you can use now to start easing your knee pain, click the link to download our free knee pain guide:
If these 4 tips don’t help you, then there could be other variables involved and I would highly suggest you seek out help from our knee specialists at LEVEL4 PT &
Wellness for a full body assessment to keep you performing at your best!
Dedicated to your health,
Dr. Oscar Andalon, DPT
For more than 16 years, thousands of athletes, fitness enthusiasts and active people of all ages, levels and sports including Olympic medalists, professional, collegiate and recreational athletes have consulted Oscar; looking for answers to concerning questions about a fast end to their pain and best ways to improving performance.
Prior to living in Carlsbad, CA, he worked as Clinic Director for a 20,000 sq.ft. sports physical therapy and performance center. He became known as the “athlete whisperer” in the Pacific Northwest by becoming the leading sports performance enhancement physical therapist and CrossFit injury rehab and performance specialist. He also was known as a consultant to the Nike WHQ in Portland, OR.
Oscar’s passion for excelling in sports earned him the opportunity to compete in soccer both at the Division 1 collegiate level at the University of San Francisco and at the professional level playing for the California Jaguars; giving him the understanding and experience of knowing what it takes to perform and excel at the highest level of competition. Oscar is an orthopedic and sports performance specialist with a true passion for helping athletes and fitness fanatics of all ages and divisions, serving as an educator to bridge the gap between rehab and strength and conditioning.
- Can Physical Therapy Help My Muscles After Having Covid? - January 26, 2022
- The Real Story Behind What’s Causing Your Sciatica - August 30, 2021
- Should I Have Surgery to Repair a Tear in My Rotator Cuff? - February 9, 2021
You Might Also Like...
-
May 10, 2017 -
April 27, 2017 -
October 13, 2017
