Knee pain is a common complaint that is seen in people of all ages but can more commonly affect the elderly, especially as the knee joint wears over time. Knee pain can be debilitating and limit movement, which can contribute to chronic pain.
Ignoring or neglecting osteoarthritis knee pain can have severe consequences on of life in the elderly
Most Common Types of Knee Pain in Elderly People
The most common types of knee pain center around strained ligaments, tears in cartilage, tendonitis, and worn cartilage resulting in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain in the elderly.
Osteoarthritis is commonly experienced in the elderly, as it is a direct result of wear and tear of the cartilage between joints over time. As the cartilage wears away, your joint is subjected to more friction, which results in pain.
Osteoarthritis is often coupled with a weakening of tendons, ligaments, and muscles. These factors all combine to produce a gradual deterioration of the cartilage in your knee, which manifests as a variety of symptoms which can cause chronic pain and affect your daily life and mobility.
What Are the Symptoms of Knee Pain?
Osteoarthritis can appear with a host of symptoms that are an indication that something is wrong. The most obvious is experiencing pain in your knee joint, especially when placing weight onto your knee.
It is important to note that you may experience pain as well as other symptoms in one or both knees. The symptoms may also be worse in one knee compared to another, particularly if one knee has a past injury.
You could also find that your knee is swollen, stiff, and has a limited range of movement. You might also have a hard time fully straightening the knee. Other symptoms of osteoarthritis can include redness in the knee, weakness and instability (particularly when walking or standing for long periods), and popping or crunching sounds when trying to move your knee.
Another tell-tale sign that you may be suffering from osteoarthritis in your knees is that you may find your knee pain tends to be much worse towards the end of the day. Knee pain may also cause you to hold your weight or walk differently to compensate for the discomfort you are feeling, which can lead to challenges and discomfort in other joints, such as the hips.
How to Prevent Knee Pain in Old Age?
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. There are many things you can do before knee pain sets in to try and prevent it from happening at all.
- Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is a good way to prevent inflammation from occurring in your joints, which can contribute to knee pain and make osteoarthritis worse. Avoiding overly processed foods that are high in refined sugars and carbohydrates is a good way to start. It is also important to be cognizant of having too much meat and dairy, as these foods can also contribute to inflammation.
- An anti-inflammatory diet is primarily plant-based, featuring plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, and whole grains.
- Another way to mitigate knee pain is to maintain a healthy weight, which goes hand-in-hand with eating a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the impact placed on the cartilage between your joints, which reduces the likelihood of experiencing pain, especially in your knees.
- Low-impact and targeted exercise is a great way to maintain joint health. To focus on your knees, concentrate on building up muscle strength around your knees, such as your thighs and calf muscles. These muscles help support your knees, and if they are strengthened, then less strain will be placed on the cartilage in your joints.
