Your Knees Shouldn’t Go Snap, Crackle and Pop

Remember jumping out of trees, running everywhere and playing as a kid? Perhaps even as an adult, you still run as you aim for 10,000 steps a day or when you are about to miss the bus. Exercise is great for your health and heart, but as those steps, jumps, pivots and falls add up, your knees can take a real beating.

Perhaps you already have a little knee pain, or maybe you want to prevent it as long as you can, like forever.

There is no guaranteed way to prevent knee pain, but there are steps (get it) to improve your odds of continuing to bust a move as you age and not your knee.

According to Harvard Health, building certain muscles can help prevent and alleviate knee pain. Focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip and core muscles.

Another strategy for healthy knees is to maintain an appropriate weight. Eating donuts can cause all kinds of health problems, especially when they turn into extra pounds. According to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, every pound of weight you carry equals four more pounds of pressure on your joints. Ten pounds overweight? That is an extra forty pounds of pounding your knees take with every step.

Wondering how you can stay fit if you must give up your daily run? Try cycling, elliptical machines and even yoga. In addition to exercising your mind and body, there are yoga poses recommended to help prevent knee pain and increase flexibility. “You should also avoid standing on hard surfaces or squatting for long periods,” said Corey Jackson, D.O., Genesis orthopedic surgeon. “Plus, just because a pair of shoes look great doesn’t mean they are good for your health. When possible, wear the appropriate cushioned athletic shoes.”

The most important thing to remember is whether you want to alleviate knee pain or prevent it, talk to your family doctor. Your doctor can provide personalized advice on which activities you should or shouldn’t do to stay healthy.