Aging Knees - are they older than you are?

Knee pain is a common, plaguing factor that presents as a significant barrier to healthy aging.  Even if the body feels 25, the knees may be twice that or more.  And the worst part - you may not even realize it they're ahead of you!  Don't let your knees stand in your way.

In my practice, knee pain varies from the teenager with Osgood-Schlatter to the active older adult after total knee replacement.  None of it's fun and all of it is limiting.  So, with the notion to stay away from limitations and toward the fun - I've complied this list of knee saving ideas to help promote healthy aging.

#1 - Check your stance.  Distribute your weight equally on each side.  In standing, you should avoid the "jutting out hip" posture.  I bet you know just what I mean....
#2 - Shoes.  Make sure that your shoes serve two purposes.  First, that they give you some element of cushion/protection/shock absorption.  Worn out shoes are not helping your case.  Second, that they allow you a normal posture.  Specifically, if you are wearing heels every day, the change in your posture will contribute to a quicker rate of deterioration of your knees.  If you have faulty foot mechanics or leg structure (bowed knees or "knocked" knees), consider an evaluation for best footwear.  Combining cushion/protection/shock absorption and normal posture - if you've read some of the recent research on minimalist running shoes, (read Justin's post at http://rootsofmyhealth.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html for a great synopsis) you know that heel height in day to day work or even in running may not be what nature intended.
#3 - Body weight.  If your BMI is over 24-25, you may be wearing out your knees faster than you'd like.  Consider that a 1 pound increase in body weight translates into an increase of 3 pounds of pressure in walking and 10 pounds of pressure in running.
#4 -Keep your quads strong.  Those muscles on the front of your thigh are your shield and armor!  Keeping them strong encourages the knee cap to glide in the groove it's supposed to, and not try to make it's own groove!
#5 - Cross train.  Repetitive stress injuries are not to be underestimated.  For me, this is a hard pill to swallow.  I enjoy running.  It's no secret, I've blogged about it before - it is absolutely my exercise of choice.  However, I am not naive enough to believe "it won't happen to me."  So, cross training is built into my training plan.  Swimming (a non-weight bearing option) is my next favorite.

So, as I  tend toward a posture more like nature intended, gradually move into a running shoe with less heel height, and keep my quads strong through my training program, I wonder why nature won't cooperate and bring out the sunny skies so I can swim!  Maybe Mother Nature wants me to better relate to all those knee patients I've put to the test.  (Sorry guys, it's part of the job!)