| "My knees ain't what they used to be when I was | | | | knees, benefited from physical therapy. |
| 25!" joked my husband after he exercised. He's | | | | Strengthening the supporting muscles and |
| right; even though I told him he still has a great | | | | ligaments around her knee joints with certain |
| body. The dreadful truth may be broadcasted | | | | specific, limited exercises helped take some of the |
| loud and clear from our knees for those of us | | | | pressure off of her damaged knees, while she |
| who are reaching boomer status. Exercise can | | | | waited for knee replacement surgery. |
| hurt, so you are tempted to pass it up. | | | | Hopefully you are not in that category. For most |
| Knees take a beating in life, particularly if you | | | | boomers it is a matter of engaging in and |
| have played sports in your youth, run or jogged | | | | enjoying non-weight bearing exercise. For instance |
| for exercise, or had knee injuries, such as ACL | | | | it may be time to give up the basketball court for |
| tears (anterior cruciate ligament tears). The | | | | the swimming pool. It may be time to replace |
| cushioning of the meniscus in the knee joint gets | | | | your jogging time with a bicycling time to take |
| worn down or damaged with age and use. | | | | the pressure off of your complaining knees. They |
| Lubrication, called synovial fluid, dries up. | | | | are complaining for a good reason. |
| So - what are you to do about exercise if you | | | | Keep in mind that the leg muscles above and |
| have knee pain? | | | | below your knee, front and back, must be |
| First, see a good orthopedic specialist, who has a | | | | stretched regularly to help your knee joint remain |
| sub-specialty in sports medicine, for an evaluation. | | | | in alignment and flexible. |
| You need to know from an expert exactly what | | | | Stretch your hamstrings by sitting on the floor, |
| you are dealing with. You can only devise a good | | | | steps or a low chair and bend slowly from the |
| exercise program when you know just how much | | | | waist. |
| to push and just how much to limit your activity. | | | | Stretch your quadriceps muscles, the muscles on |
| Ask your physician for specific recommendations | | | | the front of the thigh, by pulling your foot up |
| about what you can and cannot do when you | | | | behind your buttocks - gently and slowly. |
| exercise. | | | | Stretch your calf muscles by standing on |
| Paradoxically, some knee pain will lessen with mild | | | | something, like a book or a step, so that you heel |
| to moderate exercise. Ask your orthopedic | | | | is lower than the ball of your foot. |
| doctor to prescribe several sessions of physical | | | | See you doctor if you have knee pain and get it |
| therapy to get you started with some | | | | evaluated. Then you can trust that your exercise |
| knowledgeable supervision. Then you can continue | | | | is helping, not hurting, your knee joints. It is most |
| on your own. | | | | important to keep on exercising in the best way |
| It was a surprise that Louise, who was severely | | | | for your body's well being. |
| overweight and had massive damage to her | | | | |