Q: I get knee pain while walking because of loss of cartilage. I am 78 and otherwise in good health. Can you suggest any exercises to relieve knee pain?
– Mayura, Denver
A: Medical professionals generally focus on two things regarding knee pain: weight loss and muscle strengthening in the legs. A modest weight loss can reduce knee pain by as much as 50 percent, and strengthening the muscles will give needed support to this multi-tasking joint.
If you haven’t already done so, get a diagnosis from an orthopedic specialist. There may be some simple treatment options available. If your body weight is appropriate for your age and height, then strengthening the leg muscles, especially around the knee, is in order.
Be sure you are wearing shoes that are fitted to your particular needs, designed for walking, and in good condition. Regular walkers should use a pair of shoes for only three or four months then, because the support breaks down, replace them.
If you have access to a gym, ask the fitness trainer on duty to show you how to use the machines designed for hamstrings (the muscles behind the thigh). Hamstrings are often part of the knee pain problem because they do not get as much attention as the quadriceps (front of the thigh).
Exercises for leg strengthening include lunges (step backward instead of forward for better protection of the knee), leg presses and squats. These exercises, when executed with free weights or other gym equipment designed for the purpose, present great benefits to the leg muscles. If you have a Swiss Ball (available at FitBall.com), you can perform hamstring curls and squats safely in your home. To learn proper form, a visit with a trainer is time and money well spent.
Hiking poles, also called trekking poles or walking sticks, are a great tool for relieving knee pain when walking. Using specially designed poles reduces the strain on knee, ankle, and hip joints, especially downhill. Hiking poles spread the benefits of walking by bringing the muscles of the upper body into play.
If walking is still painful, try adding bicycling and swimming to your exercise routine.
Jayah Faye Paley will be in Denver on May 17 (Denver Flagship REI, 303-756-3100) and Boulder on May 18 (Boulder REI, 303-583-9970) to give a free seminar on how to use poles.
Linda Buch, ACE-certified exercise specialist, will respond to fitness questions only in her weekly column. Send questions to: Body Language, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 or LJBalance@aol.com.
