The older we get, the more wear and tear our bodies have to go through. All our joints can wear down, we get pains in various places, and can often stop us from doing activities we want to do. Over 40 knee pain, for example, can stop people from going about their everyday activities.
Our knees are so important to us. We need them to walk, stand, sit down, and basically move anywhere we need to go. If they start becoming painful then it can prevent you from being able to go anywhere. Fortunately, though, there are certain exercises you can do to help prevent that knee pain and keep you fit and active.
So let’s check out 5 of the best exercises to keep knee pain at bay:
#1 – Walking
Walking is not just great for keeping fit but can actually help to keep the knees in shape too. Unlike running, walking doesn’t put a lot of stress on the knees. Preventing the knees from becoming stiff, is one sure way to keep the pain away. Therefore, a 20-30 minute walk each day, will help to burn calories, keep your heart healthy, and also keep the knees nice and supple too.
#2 – Leg Exercises
When people get joint pain, such as arthritis, one recommended thing to do is to strengthen the muscles around those joints. And that’s exactly what is suggested to help prevent knee pain too. By doing exercises such as a basic leg lift, you can keep the muscles strong and it will put less pressure and stress on your knees.
Leg lifts are so simple to do. All you need to do is lie on your back, then keep one leg flat on the floor, whilst lifting the other one up. Keep both legs straight. Lower that leg back down and repeat for the other leg. It will also help to strengthen your core muscles too.
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#3 – Squats
Squats are great to work out the lower half of the body. Thighs, backside, quads, all get used when doing this exercise. Keeping all these muscle groups strong will keep the pressure of the knees, so will keep the pain away.
The main thing about squats is to keep good form when doing them. If you do them wrong, then you could accidentally be putting more pressure on your knees and it could cause you to have pain. So don’t worry about the number you do, just keep good form and do as many as you can.
If you struggle to keep your balance, you can try wall sits to get you started. This way you don’t have to worry about your balance but it will still work out your lower body.
#4 – Steps
Another great over 40 knee pain exercise is the basic step up. This exercise keeps the joints flexible and builds muscle around it. It’s also super simple and you can do it at home using your stairway steps or a step platform.
Just stand in front of your step and place your left foot on the step. Lift your body up, so that both feet are now on the step. Then lower your right foot to the floor and bring both feet down. Repeat this but doing the right foot first and so on. This is also good for your quads and other leg muscles too.
#5 – Stretching
A lot of joint pain is caused because the muscles can stiffen up. By regularly stretching you can keep your muscles flexible. And it’s also really easy to do too. Just sit on the floor, with both legs out in front of you. Try and touch your toes. If you can’t just continue moving your hands towards your feet and you’ll gradually get closer.
You can also do one leg at a time, by bringing one foot up towards the groin and placing the knee out to the side. Then repeat with the other leg.
Over 40 knee pain is something we all want to avoid. Being in pain when moving can really hold us back and prevent us from being active. By using the exercises we have mentioned above, you can keep your muscles flexible, strong, and keep that pressure on the knees, so that you’re pain-free and can get on with your normal life.
