Through this fact sheet, you can avail general information pertaining to knee problems. There is a diagram showing the knee’s different parts, including muscles, cartilage, bones, tendons and ligaments, along with descriptions. The individual sections describe diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of diverse knee conditions and injuries. How to prevent knee problems are also mentioned.
Cause
It can be due to osteoarthritis (wearing of knee parts), injury like blow to knee, sudden movements, which strain knee, but beyond normal movement range. How to prevent knee problems, like those caused by accidents, which cannot be prevented or foreseen? The following suggestions can help prevent several knee problems:
- Warm up by riding stationary bicycle or walking. Prior to participation in any sport or exercising, do stretches. Stretch quadriceps (front thigh muscles) and hamstrings (back of thigh) to reduce pressure upon knee and tensions during activity.
- Perform specific exercises like riding stationary bicycle or walking up hills or stairs to strengthen leg muscles. Another way to strengthen leg muscles to benefit the knee is supervised workout using weights.
- Do avoid making sudden changes to exercise intensity. Increase activity duration or force, but gradually.
- Wear good, properly fitting shoes to maintain better leg alignment and balance when running or walking. Overpronated feet (feet which rolls inward) or flat feet may cause knee problems. Few such problems can be eradicated with the use of orthotics (wearing specialised shoe inserts). Reduce stress upon the knees to maintain proper body weight. Wearing (degenerative) conditions like osteoarthritis of knee is caused by obesity.
