Read “Keep Your Knees Kicking Strong” by Dr. Amit Patel DC to learn more about Ipswich Spine Clinic and our practice in Ipswich, Suffolk.
We look forward to serving you! Call – 01473 232 002
Let’s live healthier and more active, longer. That has become the motto of our generation, especially as we move into our thirties and beyond. Our desire to keep playing full out is wonderful — as long as we maintain and care for our health along the way. One joint that experiences extreme wear and tear, and can quickly put us on the sidelines, is the knee.
Even old knee injuries from our younger years can come back to haunt us later in life. While we don’t have a time machine to undo the damage, there are steps we can take to help keep our knees strong, resilient, and less prone to injury for years to come.
Tips for Keeping Our Knees in Tip-Top Shape
1. Wear Proper Shoes
If your feet roll to the inside or outside, or if you have fallen arches, it can affect not only your knees but also your hips and back. A proper assessment can determine if orthotics are suitable for you. Orthotics should always be professionally fitted and customized.
2. Exercise Intelligently
This is a common challenge for “weekend warriors” who try to fit a week’s worth of exercise into two days. Overloading muscles, tendons, and ligaments that aren’t conditioned for regular activity can lead to injuries or micro-tears, which may not appear immediately but cause problems over time.
3. Lose Unhealthy Pounds
Excess weight puts significant strain on your knees, especially during high-impact activities. If you are overweight, avoid running and other high-impact sports until you’ve reached a healthier weight. In the meantime, choose lower-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or cycling.
4. Increase Strength and Flexibility
Focus on stretching and strengthening your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscles. These provide crucial support for the knees and help ensure proper tracking. Women, in particular, are more prone to improper knee tracking, which can cause pain, popping, or grinding sounds. Incorporating Yoga or Pilates can help keep muscles, tendons, and ligaments strong and flexible.
5. Add Safe and Natural Chiropractic Adjustments and Rehabilitation
If your spine or hips are misaligned, your knees bear much more stress. Sacroiliac and lumbar misalignments can make one leg shorter, disrupting your gait. A study of 18 people with knee pain due to muscle tightness showed significant improvement after chiropractic adjustments to the sacroiliac joint. Regular chiropractic care can help reduce knee strain and improve range of motion.
Your Future Healthcare Solution!
Our team is here to be part of your long-term healthcare solution. We address not only areas of pain but also work to restore function — helping your body achieve better overall health and lasting strength naturally.
For Your Health,
Dr. Amit Patel DC
An Optimal Spine Equals Optimal Health
Ipswich Spine Clinic
Neale Chambers, 6-8 Neale Street,
Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3JB
Phone: 01473 232 002
