Come Monday morning, whats your reward?
A pair ofachy knees.
That doesnt mean its inevitable, though.
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Heres why your knees might be aching in the first place.
It all comes down to changes in tissue in and around your knee.
Ligamentsandtendonshold your knee joint together, and those also tend to stiffen and tighten with age.
That can compress the joint, causing pain or swelling, Dr. Malizia says.
All that means a single workout or afternoon of hardcore chores could unexpectedly strain your muscles and joints.
Whats more, age-related changes affect other joints as well, including yourhips.
There are a lot of things that overlap.
Okay, so some aches are just a normal part of agingbut when should I actually worry?
But the occasional transient sharp pain doesnt necessarily signal a big problem, Dr. Malizia says.
Think of it like a system reboot.
The same goes if you cant bear weight on your leg or straighten or bend your knee.
Swelling, too, can occur on a scale of no big deal to definitely call the doc.
If my knees are just mildly achy, what can I do to feel better?
You might need a little longer of a layoff than you thinkas much as two to six weeks.
However, rest doesnt mean hunker on the couch and do nothing.
And try not to use them for more than a few days.
Check in with your primary care doc, a sports medicine or orthopedic specialist, or a physical therapist.
So are my knees just going to be this way forever?
The good news is, the answer isnt to keep super chill for fear youll worsen your bad knees.
Contrary to popular belief, even high-impact exercises like running dont actually cause arthritis.
Also, make strengthening the muscles around your knees a priority to prevent pain in the first place.
Those are muscles that absolutely get neglected in the gym.
Joints in general like to move and they want to move, Dr. Haines says.
So the more you’re able to preserve your range of motion, the better.
Finally, stay mindful of your overall sleep and stress levels, Dr. Malizia says.
