You might encounter stumbling blocks along the road of life, such as knee pain. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and/or manage many of the knee problems aging may bring.
At Interventional Pain Consultants in Parsippany, Montclair, and Landing, New Jersey, pain management physicians Kevin Elaahi, MD, and Benjamin Kim, MD, can diagnose and treat your knee pain — and help restore your quality of life.
Here, our expert team offers tips to help you reduce the likelihood of age-related knee pain.
Knee pain can be due to a range of factors, including normal aging. Common causes include:
Although this common form of arthritis may strike at any time, it typically occurs in adults over the age of 50. Knee OA thins out your joint’s cartilage and roughens its surfaces. When your knee can’t move as smoothly, it feels stiff and painful. Other types of arthritis may also affect your knees.
Knee trauma often produces both temporary and chronic pain. Knee injuries may involve:
If the triangular bone at the front of your knee (patella) shifts out of place, it may dislocate your kneecap and cause ongoing pain.
These represent a few of the major causes of knee pain. Our team diagnoses your specific problem to find the best solutions.
While an estimated one in five people (20%) over the age of 40 suffers from chronic knee pain, you can lower your risk of facing the same problem as you age. To keep your knees resilient, we recommend that you:
Excess weight places an extra burden upon your entire body, especially your knees. It puts added pressure upon the joints’ cartilage, which may cause pain. Excess fat also promotes inflammation, which increases your risk of disease and joint damage.
Our joints are meant to move. Choose a variety of gentle exercises that encourage muscle strength and flexibility, such as:
If you’re already dealing with knee pain, be sure to discuss any exercise routine with our team or a physical therapist.
If you engage in activities that cause knee pain, give your joint time to recover. Reduce swelling and encourage healing with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Try modifying any knee-straining activities that you can’t fully avoid, to make them less stressful. Knee pain that doesn’t diminish over time should be evaluated by our team.
A healthy diet that’s centered on fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and beans — and minimizes saturated fats and processed foods — lowers your risk of disease while promoting healthy joints.
Reduce your consumption of alcohol, coffee, and carbonated soft drinks, which encourage your body to excrete calcium. Enjoy fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, as well as eggs and fortified milk, to add bone-building calcium and vitamin D.
Bad posture doesn’t just look unattractive — it puts additional stress on your joints. Good posture, on the other hand, helps muscles support your joints.
Stand up straight with your shoulders back, head level, abdomen tucked, and feet shoulder-width apart. When you sit, remember to keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees at the same height as (or a bit lower than) your hips.
Good shoes keep our bodies nimble. Look for supportive shoes that flex well, with a square or rounded toe that enables your toes to move around. Avoid high heels, if possible, as they put excess stress on your knees and may even increase your risk of osteoarthritis.
It’s important to pay attention to knee pain, which may indicate injury or disease. The sooner you manage it, the less likely it will cause lasting damage. Luckily, Dr. Elaahi, Dr. Kim, and our knowledgeable team offer a range of effective solutions.
From nerve blocks and hyaluronic acid injections to radiofrequency ablation and regenerative medicine, our experts at Interventional Pain Consultants have solutions to help you get back to your active life. Schedule a visit at your nearest office in Parsippany, Montclair, or Landing, New Jersey, today.
