3 Ways to Reverse the Age of Your Knees

Knee pain can be extremely debilitating and quite frankly, rather annoying too.

What if there were ways you could help manage your symptoms better and have younger feeling knees?

Well, you are in luck! Here are three ways to help reverse the age of your knees, according to a physical therapist.

1. Diet

While it is hard to maintain a healthy diet, being consistent with a diet that helps reduce inflammation can help decrease symptoms of arthritis.

In order to do this, it is best if you cut out food that contains added sugar, excess salt, or any foods that are highly processed. Even though this may be hard to maintain, reducing the intake of these foods can really improve your symptoms.

Aside from decreasing the intake of foods that cause inflammation, there are also foods you should consume more of to help decrease inflammation, thus improving your pain.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce levels of two proteins, c-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6. Increased levels of these proteins have been linked to increased swelling in the body.

Fish are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating 3-6 oz of fish, 2-4 times per week can help decrease inflammation, thus decreasing damage to the joints.

Fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are:
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Trout
• Herring
If eating fish is not your thing, fish oil supplements may also help decrease inflammation.

Fiber

Did you know that people with osteoarthritis tend to have high levels of cholesterol?

Decreasing cholesterol levels may help manage symptoms of arthritis. One way to do this is by eating foods high in fiber.

Whole grains and other foods high in fiber can not only help decrease pain and swelling but can also help you feel full longer to help aid in weight loss.

Healthy Fats

Olive oil is one type of healthy fat that contains a compound called oleocanthal. This compound contains anti-inflammatory properties to help ease symptoms.

Avocados also contain monounsaturated fats that help decrease inflammation. They also are a great source of vitamin E that helps decrease joint damage early on.

Antioxidants

Foods that are high in antioxidants have been shown to help fight inflammation which helps reduce wear and tear on joints. Increasing your daily intake of the following foods can help you be one step closer to younger-feeling knees.

• Berries
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Kale
• Dark chocolate
• Red cabbage
• Beans

These foods contain some of the highest levels of antioxidants, but there are many more that will also get the job done. 

2. Exercise

Exercise is probably the last thing on your mind if you have sore, achy knees. But, the benefits of gentle exercise can really help keep your knees young and healthy!

Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to help maintain the mobility of your joints, achieve a healthy weight, and decrease pain.

It is best to engage in low-impact activities, such as walking, cycling, or swimming. These activities are easy on the joints and should not increase your pain.

It is recommended to engage in 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. This can be broken down into 10-minute increments.

Even just 10 minutes of a brisk walk, a few times per day can achieve this goal.

Adding strength training to your routine can help the muscles surrounding your knee absorb forces, lessening the amount of force going directly through your knees.

Strength training should focus on the large muscle groups – glutes, hamstrings, and quads. It is best to strengthen these muscle groups three times per week.

Allowing at least one day of rest in between will allow your muscles enough time to recover and be ready for your next workout.

If you're interested in some specific exercises you can do to help combat knee pain - you might be interested in this ebook guide - CLICK HERE

3. Weight Loss

Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis. To help protect your joints from further damage, weight loss may be your key to success.

Did you know that just by walking, the amount of force going through your knees is 1.5 times your body weight?

Let’s say you weigh 200 pounds. That means when you walk, there are 300 pounds of force going through your knees with every step. 

Crazy right?

This gets even worse when going up and down stairs. It is estimated that the force through your knees increases to 2-3 times your body weight.

Let’s say you need to squat down to pick something up off the floor. Now, the force increases to 4-5 times your body weight.

If you weigh 120 pounds, that's 480-600 pounds of force through your knees.

No wonder these activities are so difficult now!

Achieving a healthy weight can be very challenging. Creating a daily routine that involves exercise and a well-balanced diet can help you stay on track.

Together, these lifestyle changes can help you achieve healthier, happier knees!

  

What to do now?

Woof, that was a lot of information!

I know it's hard to take in all at once, so feel free to reference this information as many times as you'd like. 

ONE LAST SECRET is using compression knee sleeves to help protect and recover your knees. 

Specifically these new anti-fatigue bamboo compression knee sleeves from Onecompress.

They are in a league of their own thanks to the innovative bamboo material, which is ultra-soft and comfortable. 

It's finally a knee sleeve made for everyday movers that value soothing comfort, not just performance athletes. 

You can even sleep in them! 

Check them out here if you're interested - BAMBOO KNEESLEEVES

(sometimes they're on sale)

And make sure to start taking action towards reversing the age of your knees. It might seem like too much work or too hard, but life is better pain-free.

The choice is yours!