Among many things, a pair of healthy and robust knees are something we take for granted. We fail to acknowledge the importance of solid knees that bear all our weight and help us with everything right from taking a simple walk – to lifting weights in the gym and carrying out any other activity. Thousands around us suffer from knee wear and tear, resulting in arthritis, making it the most common form of Osteoarthritis.
What is knee wear and tear?
Osteoarthritis of the knee – the medical name for knee wear and tear is a common condition where the cartilage between the knee joint wears away. Think of it like the shock absorbers of your vehicle getting jammed because of less lubrication – the cartilage between the knee joint bones being the lubricant. The cartilage between the bones of the knee joint acts like a cushion – it helps with mobility and flexibility. It helps deal with any shock our knees might experience.
When the cartilage wears away, the bones of the joints rub more closely, causing friction in the knee. This rubbing could result in joint pain and swelling, stiffness in the joint and might even decrease one’s ability to move.
In this blog, we give you an A-to-Z guide on knee wear and tear (AKA Osteoarthritis of the knee). We describe the condition, discuss the causes and symptoms, and enlighten you on ways to work around the situation.
Who should be worried about it?
Contrary to what we would love to believe, young people can also experience knee wear and tear. However, people over 45 are at a higher risk. Age can increase your risk of developing the condition.
Another study shows that women are at a higher risk of developing the condition. Multiple factors such as genetics, anatomy and prior knee injury are at play here.
Symptoms Of Knee Wear & Tear
There are many signs & symptoms of knee wear & tear. Here are a few of them:
- Increasing pain: Knee joint pain that starts off slow but increases gradually due to excessive physical activity could be a symptom of knee wear & tear. This symptom may worsen rapidly or may develop over time.
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Excessive swelling: You might notice swelling after long periods of inactivity, e.g., just after waking up. When it comes to knee wear & tear, swelling is of two types:
- Hard swelling: Hard swelling happens due to bone spurs, which are much more common in people over 60.
- Soft swelling: This happens when extra fluid collects in the joints.
- Increased cracking & popping sounds: We are referring to the grinding sensation & the cracking/popping sounds you hear when you bend your knees. This happens when you’ve lost a little bit of cartilage - which helps with a smooth range of motion.
Causes Of Knee Wear & Tear
Age is one of the most common causes of knee wear and tear. This means almost everyone is at risk of developing the condition as they age. However, many other factors accelerate the process:
- Obesity: Every pound of weight you carry adds 3 to 4 pounds of pressure on your knees. A heavy body can be taxing for your knees.
- Genetics: The condition may run in one's family. It may also be a result of inheriting the abnormal shape of bones that surround the knee joint.
- Continuous stress on the knees: Some people work jobs that require them to kneel, lift heavy weights or squat a lot, which may result in knee injuries that aggravate the condition.
- Other illnesses: Rheumatoid arthritis - the second most common arthritis, can aggravate knee wear and tear. People with other metabolic disorders such as excessive growth hormone may also run a higher risk of knee wear and tear.
Five Ways To Battle Knee Wear & Tear
There is no cure for the condition, but it can be managed for reducing symptoms and improving the functioning of the knee joint. Following are some tips which can help relieve knee joint pain and improve mobility.
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Physical exercise: Physical exercise can help you reduce knee joint pain and damage. . You can divide your physical exercise regime into these three categories for best results:
- Stretching: Stretching increases your knee joints’ flexibility, mobility and agility.
- Weight training: Your knees are protected when the muscles around them are strong and healthy.
- Aerobics: As per The Arthritis Foundation, walking and water aerobics are two exercises that are easiest on knee joints. You can try walking and then gradually move to running, biking, and swimming as per your comfort level.
- Weight loss: An obese body can give your knees a difficult time. Even if you are moderately overweight, a little bit of weight loss can reduce the stress on your knees and improve mobility.
- Fish Oil: Fish oils are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help one deal with knee or improve your knee joint movement. However, consult your Doctor before consuming fish oil as it could be hard on your stomach.
- Using knee braces: Knee braces are devices that are worn to reduce knee pain. They are a low-risk option to reduce knee joint pain and improve the knee’s overall functioning.
- Surgery: If none of the above options seem to work, you could go for surgery after consulting your Doctor.
Bonus Tip: Consume Turmeric
Turmeric, also known as the “Indian Saffron” has received worldwide attention due its magical, therapeutic benefits. The herb is cultivated in India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Peru, and many parts of Africa and Australia. A lot of us consume Turmeric as a part of our daily diets.
Here are a few benefits of Turmeric:
- A natural anti-inflammatory herb: Turmeric suppresses molecules known to play major roles in inflammation.
- Powerful anti-oxidant: The anti-oxidative properties of Turmeric helps fight Oxidative Stress, thereby improving overall knee joint health.
- Benefits in knee joint health: The herb can help reduce knee joint pain and improve knee joint comfort.
Our unique formulation of Turmeric – Golden Hug is clinically substantiated to help reduce joint pain, improve joint comfort and improve knee mobility and performance. The advantage of Golden Hug over your regular Turmeric – a single daily capsule is all you need to consume. Regular kitchen Turmeric has lower bioavailability, i.e., it does not get absorbed into your body easily. Golden Hug solves this problem for you!
Get your hands on our clinically validated, safe, all-natural, 1-A-Day, highly bioavailable new-age Turmeric and take a step towards building great knee joint health, today!
Bibliography
- WebMD
- Healthline
- Nature & Thought
- Shane Anderson A, Loeser RF. Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease? Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2010 Feb;24(1):15-26. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2009.08.006. PMID: 20129196; PMCID: PMC2818253.
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