As we’ve said on this blog several times in the past, preventing health problems is much preferred to treating them once they’ve developed. The same obviously holds true for knee replacement. If we can take steps to prevent degeneration and the need for a joint replacement procedure, this is preferred to trying to treat the issue with surgery. But is it possible to prevent the need for knee replacement? In today’s blog, we explain some of the ways you can work to reduce your risk of eventually needing a knee replacement procedure.
Reducing Your Likelihood Of Needing A New Knee
There’s nothing that you can do to guarantee that you will never need to undergo a knee replacement procedure, but there are plenty of things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of knee problems that could lead to an eventual replacement procedure. Here are some of the ways you can work to lower your risk of eventually needing an artificial knee:
- Weight Management – Much of the stress of our body weight is channeled through our knees, and the heavier you are, the more stress your knees have to bear with every step you take. This won’t lead to joint breakdown overnight, but over the course of years or decades, all of the extra stress will add up in the form of advanced joint degeneration. Managing your weight as you age is one of the best things you can do to help preserve cartilage and other key parts of your knee joint and slow down the natural degeneration process.
- Be Active – Activity will put more stress and strain on your knee, but as long as you don’t overdo it, this is actually a good thing. Normal stress in the form of exercise or athletic activity helps our joints maintain function and flexibility. It also helps to develop the muscles and soft tissues that support and stabilize the joint, which can lower your chance of injury. You may want to be wary of high-impact exercises that put a lot of shock on your joints, but don’t assume that inactivity is the best way to protect your joints. Inactivity leads to muscle and joint weakening, so you can do right by your knees by pursuing no or low impact exercise on a regular basis.
- Treat Minor Injuries – Don’t let a minor knee injury snowball into a major knee problem. If you are dealing with an injury like knee tendonitis or instability, proactively treat the issue with rest, physical therapy and strengthening exercises. If you don’t treat the problem, symptoms can linger, which can lead you to become less active or alter how stress is dispersed in your lower body. If you are constantly compensating for your “bad knee,” don’t be surprised if your good knee starts to hurt as a result of the added stress. Instead, pursue active conservative techniques to put discomfort to bed once and for all.
- Stretching And Flexibility Exercises – Finally, you can also work to preserve more function in your knee joint by regularly stretching and maintaining flexibility in the area. While the knee may not be as flexible as other joints in your body, you still want it to be able to bend, twist and handle stress in different positions. Stretching exercises or activities like yoga or Tai Chi are perfect for expanding your flexibility and preserving healthy range of motion in your joints.
If you keep all of these tips in mind and connect with a specialist like Dr. Botero if you are facing any new or chronic challenges with your knees, we know that you’ll be able to reduce your likelihood of needing a knee replacement in the future. For more information, or for help with a different joint issue, connect with Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
