Should elderly people with knee pain walk?

This is an automatically translated article.

Walking is a simple form of exercise that many elderly people are choosing to improve their health. However, the elderly often suffer from knee pain due to knee osteoarthritis, a disease that has many difficulties when moving or moving. So, should elderly people walk when they have knee pain?
Video content is professionally consulted by MSc Vo Sy Quyen Nang, Head of Knee and Ankle Surgery Department, Vinmec Times City International Hospital

1. Walking and the health benefits of the elderly

For the elderly, walking is a gentle and most suitable way to improve the aging state of the body. Walking helps to fight weakness, prevent blood clots, regulate blood pressure, increase bone density, improve the flexibility of ligaments and limit joint degeneration that occurs in the elderly. Proper walking also actively supports the treatment of degenerative joint diseases, creating flexibility and flexibility for the body. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a manifestation of the cartilage layers of the joint being damaged by aging over many years of use, causing arthritis and making the patient feel extremely painful. According to doctors, this cartilage layer is nourished from an oily substance called synovial fluid that lubricates the knee joint, preventing stiffness and dryness. Walking is a gentle form of exercise to create these slimes.
However, people with knee pain should not walk too much and need a suitable exercise regimen and method.
For the elderly with knee pain, the most appropriate time is to walk in the early morning or late afternoon with a duration of less than 60 minutes and divide it into several small walks. There should be days off without much walking in between. Grandparents can take advantage of the time to go to the nearby market or relax around the yard.

2. Notes when the elderly walk

It is advisable to do a gentle warm-up to warm up the joints before walking. When walking, the patient needs to keep a comfortable posture, straight back, breathe evenly and walk very gently, slowly, absolutely avoid steps that are too long and too fast, prioritize flat and easy roads. again. Avoid going up and down stairs.
Should choose flat and soft sole shoes specialized for walking, do not use slippers, high heels.. Should wear belts or other types of knee support belts.
Older people with obesity should conduct weight loss methods before choosing walking as their main sport.
For people with severe joint pain, walking is no longer an appropriate form of exercise. These activities put more pressure on the degenerated cartilage layers, making the patient more painful and the joints more damaged. When people with osteoarthritis walk have signs such as:
Knees are swollen, hot and red Pain so much that you can only stand on the other side Difficult to keep balance, easy to fall Knee joint is difficult to bend, you should stop walking and switch to other sports such as cycling, tai chi, and tai chi. Thus, when it comes to leg pain, walking can only work within the allowable limits and with a reasonable mode and method of movement. To improve the pain and cure this disease completely, the elderly need a combination of their own perseverance with the support of qualified medical doctors. Wish you have a really healthy legs and a comfortable spirit in the coming winter windy days.

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