The knee, which is the largest joint in the human body, provides not
only a stable support to the whole body but also flexibility and stability in
the legs so that you can stand, walk, jump, run and turn around with ease.
Therefore, it is vital to keep your knees strong and healthy.
As we know,
the older we are, the weaker knees become, but knee problems may occur at any
age. Weak knees can have a strong impact your mobility and make it difficult to
carry out daily activities such as lifting a box or walking downhill. There are
many factors that may result in this condition such as knee injuries,
nutritional deficiency, excess sodium intake, sedentary lifestyle, smoking or
drinking or osteoarthritis in the knee, which is a result of wear and tear on
its parts. Take the following methods to strengthen your knees.
Making lifestyle changes
Exercise to strengthen your knees
There are
many exercises aiming for weak knees that help enhance the muscles around the
joints, keep the joints properly positioned and aligned as well as strengthen
the bones in your knees. Some effective exercises for your knees include
step-ups, single-leg squats, lunges, hamstring stretches with thigh
contraction, knee bends, straight-leg raises…You should aim for 30-minute
exercises at least 4 to 5 times per week for the best results or consult
doctors about suitable exercises. Check out this following video showing how to
do some of these exercises.
Swimming
Swimming
allows you to exercise your knees with less pressure on your joints, making it
a great choice for people with knee pain or arthritis. It can also reduce the
stiffness in the knees, strengthen the muscles around the knee joints and
enhance bones. Aim for 30 minutes of swimming at least 5 days a week.
Making dietary changes
Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet
Weakened and
painful joints result from inflammation, so adding anti-inflammatory foods to
your diet may help keep your knees healthy. Salmon, flaxseeds, ginger, olive
oil, turmeric, tart cherries, blueberries, walnuts, avocados, sweet potatoes
and spinach are good examples of these foods. Furthermore, you should eliminate
inflammatory foods such as white rice, white-flour products, soda, sugary foods
and foods high in saturated fats from your diet.
Eat more calcium
Calcium is
important for bone health and calcium deficiency can cause thinning and
weakening of bones. Cow milk, cheese, yogurt and goat milk are great sources of
calcium. Leafy greens and almonds are also excellent sources.
Supplement vitamin D
A vitamin D
deficiency can lead to bone loss and an increased risk of minimal trauma
fractures and make the body difficult to absorb enough calcium. Try to expose
your knees to early morning sunlight for 15 minutes daily and get vitamin D
from foods such as fish, egg yolks and dairy products…
Make sure you get enough vitamin C
Vitamin C
plays an important role in forming collagen- a major component of knee
cartilage and improves bone mass density and normal bone development. Some good
sources of vitamin C involve citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, berries, spinach…
Other alternative methods
Maintain a healthy body weight
The heavier
your body weighs, the harder your joints has to work, so try to stay fit to
reduce the risk of knee problems.
Do massage
Regular
massage helps promote circulation so that more nutrients can reach the weak
muscles and joints. Massage with warm olive or coconut oil twice a day by
rubbing the oil on the knees and massage in both clockwise and anti-clockwise
directions for 10-15 minutes.
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