5 Habits Affecting Your Knee Health

If you want to keep your knees as healthy as possible through the years, look at your lifestyle. Adopting a handful of healthy habits — and steering clear of a few others — can go a long way toward your long-term joint health.

Sometimes, a knee problem develops because of an injury. In a lot of cases, though, knee issues progress gradually. That’s why lifestyle is often a point of consideration here.

While Karl Siebuhr, MD, does offer knee replacement, our team would prefer to help you keep your knees healthy through the years. We can help you explore alternatives like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. We can also partner with you to develop some lifestyle changes that support your knee health.

Here at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida, we can tailor a knee care plan to you. Generally, though, we recommend that anyone who wants to protect their knee health look to these five habits — some to kick, and some to adopt.

#1: Smoking

There’s a direct link between smoking and arthritis, which can cause debilitating knee pain. Smoking also restricts blood flow throughout your body, making you more prone to injury and making any issues that do crop up slower to heal. Long story short, avoid this habit.

#2: Your daily activity level

While you don’t need to be doing a hardcore workout every day, you should aim to get moving most days of the week. Regular physical activity — which could be as simple as going for a walk — helps to keep your joints mobile and healthy. It encourages blood flow to your knees, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, including cartilage.

Regular activity also strengthens the support structure for your knees (the muscles, ligaments, and tendons).

#3: Your diet

What you eat can have an impact on your joint health. Choose whole foods or minimally processed ones as much as possible. Plenty of produce, whole grains, and healthy fats can all help to support joint health over time.

#4: Knee support

Pay attention to your knees. If they hurt, it’s a sign you need to make some changes and offer them more support. That might mean taking a few days off from your exercise routine, or adopting some footwear with more cushion, for example.

If you can’t troubleshoot your knee pain on your own, talk with us. Dr. Siebuhr can help you figure out what’s going on and how to give your knees what they need.

#5: Watching (or not watching) your weight

While you don’t want to be overly obsessed with the number on the scale, you do want to try to maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds put extra pressure on your joints, and particularly your knees. Fortunately, adopting healthy habits we explored above — namely, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise — go a long way toward helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Healthy habits might be just one part of the puzzle. To work with Dr. Siebuhr for the care your knees need, call our office or request an appointment online.