Do you know that our knees are the largest joints in our body? A significant portion of our body weight is supported by our knees and that is why even carrying out simple, everyday movements such as walking, standing and sitting puts a lot of stress on our knees.

Not surprising then, knee pain is a very common problem, affecting not only the old, but the young as well.

In this article, we present 7 common habits or causes that can lead to knee pain, with accompanying lifetstyle changes and remedy that helps reduce pain and strengthen your knees.

1. Obesity

Every 1 kilogram in excess of your healthy weight puts up to 2 to 5 extra kilograms of pressure on your knees each and every time you take a step.

If you are obese, losing even a few kilograms can reduce stress on your knees. In fact, people with arthritic knees are able to lose about 20% of the pain with every 5 kilograms of weight they drop.

2. Purine-Rich And Cold Food

Consuming a diet packed with purines can lead to the production of uric acid, which in turn can lead to painful attacks of gout. Avoid beer and shellfish, which are purine-rich. Consume foods lower in purine content such as eggs, fruits and vegetables (except spinach, cauliflower, asparagus and mushrooms).

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, excessive intake of cold foods and drinks is also likely to increase the body’s dampness and cause knee pain. Therefore, avoid overconsuming raw, cold, sweet and rich food and drinking too many iced beverages, including cold water. It is recommended to drink room temperature or warm water instead.

3. Lack Of Exercise

Exercise strenghtens the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding the knee joint. when these tissues ar estrong, they act like a brace that protects the joint and eases pressure. The knee joint is surrounded by synovial membrane, which produces a lubricating fluid that allows your bones to move past one another more smoothly.

Lack of physical activity reduces circulation of the fluid and negatively affects blood circulation throughout your body. Conversely, with regular physical activity, the synovial membrane is exposed to a steady supply of nourishing oxygen and nutrients.

4. No Proper Warming Up, Prior And After Exercise

A proper 5 minutes warm up routine increases flexibility and blood flow to a given area, thereby greatly eliminating the chances of a muscle pull and joint pain what feels fine in the moment can cause post-workout pain. Your whole body, including your muscles, ligaments, bones, joint and cartilage, needs to ease into exercise.

5. Poor Posture

Poor posture is at the root of most joint pain. For good posture, work on building strong core muscles in your abdomen and lower back. When your skeleton is correctly aligned, your weight is evenly distributed and thus your joints are not stressed.

6. Cold, Wind And Dampness

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory holds that wind, cold and dampness can invade the body and disrupt the flow of qi (energy), potentially causing stiffness and pain in the joints. Dress in layers, and keep your feet warm and dry with thick socks and quality footwear.

7. Wearing High Heels

Significant strain is put on the shin muscles by high heels, resulting in pain in the knees and legs. To make matters worse, the extra height of the heels can cause shortening of the calf muscles.

Supportive and comfortable shoes help take pressure off the knee joint by promoting proper leg alignment and balance. Investing in good footwear for your specific activity can prevent injury and pain, saving you from having to invest time and money in treatment down the road.