Pain in the knees is very common and can become disabling. We explain why it happens and what is the best thing you can do to take care of your knees.
- Causes of knee pain when walking
- Causes of resting knee pain
- How to care for your knees
Knee pain is very common, since this joint, in addition to helping us walk and move, supports much of our weight.
The knee is the largest joint in our body and one of the most complex. It is made up of bones, menisci, ligaments and tendons and joins the femur (the long thigh bone) with the tibia (the shin bone). But why does knee pain appear at rest and when walking? A pain in the knee can be due to different causes related to the structures that make it up and occur in different situations.
KNEE PAIN WHEN WALKING: CAUSES
Noticing pain while moving the knee, for example when walking, is perhaps the most common. The main causes of this type of pain are:
- Having suffered a fracture or injury to the soft tissues of the knee, such as a ligament sprain, tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons), or bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that serves as a shock absorber between the bone and soft tissues).
- Knee osteoarthritis causes cartilage wear and inflammation of the joint, which can cause pain when walking.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation and pain.
- A problem in the kneecap (a small triangular bone in the front of the knee), such as chondromalacia patellae, in which the cartilage under the kneecap wears away and can cause pain and creaking when walking.
- Meniscus injuries, cartilage pads that lie between the bones of the knee and act as shock absorbers. These types of injuries are common in people who play sports that involve sharp turns, such as footballers.
- Runner’s knee or iliotibial band syndrome occurs when the iliotibial band (a connective tissue that runs from the hip to the knee) rubs against the bone and becomes inflamed, causing pain on the outside of the knee. As the name suggests, it is common in runners, and also in cyclists.
- Overloading the knees, for example from having exercised too much.
- Wearing improper footwear can also cause your knees to become overloaded and painful.
KNEE PAIN AT REST: CAUSES
In some cases, the knee hurts even when we do not use it, at rest. The causes that may be behind this pain are usually a previous knee injury (either a soft tissue injury or a fracture), osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
- In case of arthritis, knee pain is usually constant and worsens after being without moving for a long time.
- In case of osteoarthritis, the pain is usually more intense when using the joint, but there may also be discomfort at rest.
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR KNEES
To avoid injury and overload and keep your joints healthy, keep these tips in mind:
- Maintain a healthy weight and if you have a few extra pounds, try to lose them. This is perhaps the best advice to avoid overloading your knees, as excess weight can cause wear and tear on the joint.
- Perform low-impact physical exercise (walking, swimming, cycling…) on a regular basis. In addition to helping, you maintain a healthy weight, it strengthens the muscles around your knees, which can help prevent injuries.
- High-impact exercises (such as jumping, running on hard surfaces, or exercises that involve sharp turns) can put excessive pressure on your knees and are not best suited to care for. In any case, if you are going to practice them, remember to do a good warm-up before to avoid injuries.
- Wear comfortable shoes that adapt well to your foot and are suitable for the activity you are going to do.
As for food, it is advisable to include in the diet a wide variety of plant foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which can help protect and strengthen joints. In particular:
- Leafy greens, such as spinach, are especially rich in calcium and vitamin K, important for bone health.
- Foods rich in omega-3s, such as walnuts or chia, can help reduce inflammation and improve joint health.
- Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that can help reduce inflammation in the joints and relieve pain.
- Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce joint pain.
If you notice pain in your knees, either in motion or at rest, it is advisable that you go to the doctor to identify the cause and can indicate the best treatment.