Hello! I have been a doctor for 21 years. My name is Georgy Olegovich Sapego. In this article, I'll talk about protecting sore knees.
Everyone knows that joints live in motion. If we don't load them, the joints will weaken. With osteoarthritis, when the joint gradually collapses and hurts, movement is also necessary.
Acute inflammation
These rules do not apply to acute inflammation in the joint. That is, when the knee is gradually destroyed by osteoarthritis, then some kind of brisk walking will be useful. Even through the pain. But if the joint is suddenly swollen, reddened and severely ill, and even at rest, then the load must be reduced.
I see this more often in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Their knee swells, and they begin to "pump" it on simulators or squats. You can't do that.
Acute knee pain is like an abscess in a joint. If you press on it, it will burst and fall apart completely. Such an inflamed joint must be protected. You will have to walk with him carefully and in sneakers. No jumping or kneeling! The inflammation melts the joint and becomes as fragile as glass. Load it at this moment as little as possible.
Joint mites
Simple osteoarthritis is also not so simple. If the articular surfaces in the knee fit together normally, then even noticeable destruction of the cartilage will last for a long time. All this time, the joint can be pumped, walk quickly and slightly loaded. It will be useful to him.
The inconsistencies in the bones are another matter. If a person with osteoarthritis of the leg has a wheel (Figure 1), then the inner parts of the joint are compressed like ticks. This place will collapse at a breakneck speed.
If the moment of force in these "mites" (Figure 2) increases by only 1%, then the rate of progression of osteoarthritis will increase 6 times!
The legs will have to be slightly straightened. For this, there are adaptations that the orthopedist will advise. Go to him and ask about the knees. Always consult your healthcare professional about these issues.
Barefoot
It is strange, but with such "ticks" in the knee joint, the pain decreases when walking barefoot. We already discussed a shoe with zero heel rise somewhere below. She imitates walking barefoot. To walk in such shoes, you need to specially train your legs in advance.
A couple of years ago, I trained my feet on crawlers so that I could walk along forest paths in such shoes in the spring. But then the toad strangled me. These flip-flops are more expensive than medium sneakers.
Such "barefoot" shoes cannot be replaced with ordinary slippers. And you can't walk down the street as a barefoot. So if you want to experiment with unloading your knees, then choose shoes that at least approximately meet the conditions listed below:
- Do not wear shoes with a puffy instep support that fills the arch of the foot. This is a pillow on the inside of the insole. With it, the legs will be slightly a wheel, and this can be harmful.
- The heel should be less than 4 cm.
- Try shoes with flexible soles, but not sneakers. In those soles are almost nonexistent.
Insoles do not help with such matters. One-piece shoes are needed. We'll have to measure a lot.
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Check out my articles on related topics:
Tricks for leg joints
Exercises to strengthen the knee joints
