knee pain at young age
There was a time when knee pain, joint stiffness and difficulty in walking were seen to be associated only with increasing age. It was believed that these problems start only after the age of 5560, but today the picture has completely changed. Now a large number of youth with the problem of knee pain are coming to orthopedic doctors. Their age is between 25 to 35 years. They are facing problems like pain in knees, stiffness after sitting, difficulty while climbing stairs and weakness of joints.
Doctors say that today’s sitting lifestyle i.e. the habit of working while sitting for a long time, less physical activity, increasing weight and irregular fitness routine are making the knees of the youth prematurely weak. This is the reason why the problems which were earlier seen in the elderly, are now seen in the young. Recent research also points towards this danger.
A study from the University of Oulu found that MRI scans of more than half of people in their early 30s showed early cartilage damage and bone changes, even though they had no obvious pain or serious symptoms. At the same time, the data of Global Burden of Disease shows that there is a continuous increase in the cases of osteoarthritis in the age group of 3044 years.
Why are the knees of youth becoming weak?
Dr. Naval Bhatia, Principal Director of the Institute of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Pacific OneHealth, explains that the knee is one of the most important and most pressure-bearing joints of the body. Walking, sitting, running, climbing stairs, lifting weight and almost every activity, knees play a role, but when the body does not get enough movement and the surrounding muscles start becoming weak, then there is additional pressure on the knees. Gradually this pressure starts damaging the cartilage and pain starts.
Major reasons behind knee pain at a young age
1. sitting for long periods of time
Desk job has become the biggest cause of knee problems today. Sitting continuously for many hours reduces the movement of the knees and affects the blood circulation. This is why many youth feel stiffness while getting up after a meeting or feel pain in their knees after driving for a long time. Early signs include:
• Stiffness in the knees after sitting • Difficulty in standing suddenly • Pain while going down the stairs • Noise coming from the knees • Feeling of heaviness while walking for a long time
2. Rapid increasing weight and obesity
Obesity is considered the biggest risk factor for knees. Excess body weight directly increases pressure on the knees. According to experts, every extra kilo of body weight puts manifold more pressure on the knees while walking. According to research, the risk of knee osteoarthritis increases by approximately 4 times in obese women, while in men this risk can be up to 5 times. This is the reason why increasing weight at a young age is now becoming the main cause of knee diseases.
3. Early wear of cartilage
Damage to the knees does not always result in immediate pain. Many times the cartilage starts wearing out gradually and the person does not even realize it for a long time. According to doctors, by the age of 30, initial cartilage damage and bone spurs start forming in many people. If timely attention is not given, these initial changes can later turn into osteoarthritis.
Which signs should not be ignored even if you forget?
• Pain while climbing or descending stairs
• Stiffness after sitting for a long time
• Swelling or instability in the knees
• Noise from knees while walking
• Persisting pain after exercise or physical activity • Feeling stretch in the knees while getting up from sitting
Can knee problems be prevented at an early age?
• Control body weight
• Get up and take a walk every 4045 minutes
• Do low-impact exercise daily such as walking, cycling and swimming.
• Do exercises to strengthen quadriceps and hip muscles
• Do warm-up before workout
• Maintain proper posture and ergonomics • Eat a balanced diet and include adequate protein
• Get 78 hours of good sleep every day
