Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two part series highlighting the importance of keeping knees healthy at any age. Chris Jordan, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, ACSM EP-C/APT is a widely known author, speaker and performance coach and is the Director of Exercise Physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute (JJHPI). Last year, Chris developed the Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout® app. This year, he continues his work with DePuy Synthes Companies in developing awareness around symptoms of knee pain and how patients can maintain strong joints. DePuy Synthes Companies and Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute are part of the same family of companies.
Knees are one of the most important joints in our body. As a major “weight-bearing” joint, knees help support our body’s weight and are involved in almost every movement we make. Getting up, walking, bending and even standing all involve the use of our knees. As anyone with knee pain knows, daily life can become very difficult if you’re dealing with pain.
As an exercise physiologist, I’ve spoken with many people who ignore their knee pain. While there may be other reasons, one sign of knee pain could be the result of osteoarthritis (OA), where normal joint surfaces are worn away and over time may result in bone on bone contact, pain, and stiffness. Although OA becomes more common as we age, it can affect adults of all ages, usually as the result of a joint injury or inherited joint defect.1
I’ve worked with thousands of individuals with knee pain and know there are many ways to help keep knees healthy at various ages and stages.2 Having strong muscles is a good way to maintain healthy knees and help prevent further injury, which is why exercise and stretching are so important.
There are a number of exercises and stretches that are easy to do at home such as step-ups and hamstring stretches. You can also test your mobility through various activities such as walking while pushing a shopping cart or swinging a golf club. For more exercises, stretches and mobility tests, you can review the Strength and Stretching tip sheet created by DePuy Synthes Companies.
If your pain worsens over time and you experience one or more of these five signs of knee pain it might be time to take the next step. When knee pain interferes with your sleep, occurs one or more days per week, makes it difficult to walk more than a block, interferes with being active, or when pain medication no longer stops your knee pain, it may be time to speak with a knee specialist to determine the best treatment option for you. If you have knee pain from mild to moderate OA, it may be managed with pain medication, physical therapy, or hyaluronic acid injections. If your knee OA has progressed to the point where bone is rubbing against bone, knee replacement to repair the damaged bone and cartilage, followed by physical therapy, can be a treatment option.
Remember that only your doctor can determine the most appropriate treatment option for you based on your specific needs. Always consult with a doctor before beginning any exercise activities.
To learn more about exercises and stretches that may help you in maintaining healthy knees, and find a knee specialist near you, visit AllAboutKneePain.com.
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1 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH). Handout on Health: Osteoarthritis. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteoarthritis/default.asp. Accessed May 18, 2015.
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Arthritis. http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/arthritis.htm. Accessed May 8, 2015
Chris Jordan, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, ACSM EP-C/APT, is the Director of Exercise Physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, which has designed and implemented the movement/exercise components of the Corporate Athlete® course including the widely known Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout® app, and is responsible for the development and execution of all corporate fitness programming. As an experienced international keynote speaker, author and performance coach, he trains hundreds of corporate executives of FORTUNE 500 companies each year.
Chris is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association® (NSCA), a Certified Exercise Physiologist and Advanced Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine® (ACSM), and a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine® (NASM). He also holds Pre and Post Natal Exercise certifications through the American Council on Exercise® (ACE) and Desert Southwest Fitness and is an American Red Cross® Certified First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor.
He is a full member of the NSCA®, ACSM®, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association.
Chris has also contributed to numerous publications and research that have been featured on numerous media outlets such as CNN®, ABCNEWS® World, Shape®, Men’s Fitness®.
The third party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.