Silver Age Health | How do older people deal with knee joint degeneration?

Knee joint degeneration is a problem faced by many middle-aged and elderly people. If handled properly, it will not have much impact on life. However, if handled improperly, it may lead to the trouble of knee osteoarthritis. According to statistics, the prevalence of osteoarthritis in people over 60 years old is as high as 50%. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, nor is there any particularly effective drug to block the disease. Therefore, maintaining a normal weight, changing exercise methods, and strengthening functional exercise are the keys to delaying the progression of osteoarthritis. Today, let's discuss how middle-aged and elderly people with knee joint degeneration should exercise.

▏Why does the knee joint degenerate?

In our knee joints, the surface of the bone ends is covered with a thin layer of white transparent cartilage. As you can see when you chew on a pig's leg bone, this layer of cartilage is very smooth. Lubricated by the synovial fluid, its coefficient of friction is very low, which makes it very wear-resistant and shock-absorbing. This layer of cartilage can be used for long-term repeated movements with almost no wear, providing support for our activities.

However, as we age, various functions of the human body degenerate, and articular cartilage is no exception. The number of chondrocytes in the articular cartilage gradually decreases, and the matrix of the cartilage also undergoes various changes. This is like a reinforced concrete structure. If the steel bars are not strong enough and the concrete is not solid enough, the entire articular cartilage will become more fragile and brittle. Since healthy articular cartilage is very wear-resistant, does it still have the same wear resistance when it becomes fragile and brittle? When the human body is awake, the joints are almost always in motion, especially the knee joints that support our walking, which have a huge amount of activity. Over a long period of time, the wear and tear of the joints will gradually increase. If you are overweight, the knee joints are under great pressure for a long time, or the knee joints are overloaded for a long time due to work or exercise, or the joints are damaged due to trauma, these factors will aggravate the wear of the articular cartilage.

In addition, changes in the composition of synovial fluid can also affect the wear of cartilage. Articular cartilage lacks blood vessels, and its nutrition supply mainly comes from synovial fluid. With age, the composition of synovial fluid will also change, causing the articular cartilage to lack nutrition and degenerate. In addition, proper exercise helps the nutrients in synovial fluid diffuse in the synovium and cartilage matrix. If middle-aged and elderly people neglect exercise, it may also cause cartilage to lack nutrition and age.

The stability of your joints also affects the wear of your articular cartilage. The structures around your joints, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments, absorb the forces that pass through the joints while also adding stability to the joints. If these structures become less functional due to lack of movement, or if they become damaged due to strenuous or excessive exercise, this can have a negative impact on the health of your articular cartilage. Reduced joint stability can lead to increased wear of your articular cartilage. Therefore, it is important to maintain a stable and healthy joint to avoid excessive wear and pain of your articular cartilage.

▏Several reasons why the elderly are prone to degenerative arthritis

Degenerative arthritis, also known as hypertrophic arthritis of the knee, is a common disease among the elderly. This disease mainly affects two parts, bones and cartilage, leading to pathological changes such as osteoporosis, bone hyperplasia and cartilage destruction. So, why are the elderly prone to degenerative arthritis?

First, age is an important factor. As age increases, bones gradually age and the risk of degenerative arthritis increases. Statistics show that the incidence rates for people aged 40 to 50, 50 to 59, and over 60 are 18%, 26%, and 45%, respectively. About 70% of people over 70 years old show signs of degenerative arthritis.

Secondly, sports injuries are also a reason. The legs and feet of the elderly are no longer flexible. If they are not careful when walking, accidents are likely to happen, such as stepping on empty roadside or falling, which will cause direct damage to the joints. Therefore, exercise for the elderly should be based on safety and effectiveness, otherwise they are prone to degenerative arthritis.

In addition, occupational factors are also one of the causes of degenerative arthritis in the elderly. Some jobs require long-term and repeated wear and tear on the joints, which damages the normal structure of the joints and causes degenerative arthritis. In particular, long-term damage to the knee joint is an important cause of degenerative arthritis.

Finally, other factors may also lead to the occurrence of degenerative arthritis. For example, gender factors, excessive obesity, autoimmune deficiencies, excessive drinking and smoking, drug factors, bacterial and viral infections, etc. These factors may increase the risk of degenerative arthritis in the elderly. In summary, the main reasons why the elderly are susceptible to degenerative arthritis include age factors, sports injuries, occupational factors and other factors. In order to prevent degenerative arthritis, corresponding preventive measures need to be taken against these causes, such as strengthening exercise, keeping joints flexible, and avoiding excessive wear of joints. At the same time, for the elderly who already suffer from degenerative arthritis, active treatment and management are also needed to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life.

▏How to prevent knee joint degeneration in the elderly

Knee degeneration can cause leg pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility in older adults. Here are some tips for preventing knee degeneration:

1. Maintain a proper weight

Being overweight will increase the burden on the knee joint and make the articular cartilage more susceptible to wear and tear. Therefore, the elderly should maintain a proper weight and avoid excessive obesity.

2. Do proper exercise

Proper exercise can strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, improve the stability of the joint, and reduce wear and tear. The elderly can choose low-intensity exercises such as walking, swimming, and yoga, and avoid strenuous exercise.

3. Reasonably arrange exercise time and intensity

The elderly should reasonably arrange exercise time and intensity according to their physical condition, and avoid standing or walking for long periods of time, especially when they are tired.

4. Pay attention to dietary nutrition

Adequate intake of nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D should be taken in the diet to promote the health of joint cartilage. The elderly can eat more foods rich in these nutrients, such as milk, fish, nuts, etc.

5. Wear appropriate shoes and clothing

Older people should wear appropriate shoes and clothing and avoid wearing inappropriate clothing such as high heels or tight pants.

6. Keep your joints warm

Coldness can cause muscles around joints to contract, increasing the risk of joint wear. Therefore, the elderly should pay attention to keeping their joints warm, especially in winter.

7. Avoid maintaining the same posture for a long time

Maintaining the same posture for a long time will put pressure on the muscles and ligaments around the knee joint, increasing the risk of wear and tear. Therefore, the elderly should try to avoid maintaining the same posture for a long time and move their joints and muscles from time to time.

8. Get regular medical checkups

The elderly should have regular physical examinations to detect and treat knee joint diseases in a timely manner. If there is knee pain or discomfort, they should seek medical attention in a timely manner. In short, preventing knee degeneration requires the elderly to pay attention to details in their daily lives, maintain a proper weight and exercise appropriately, arrange exercise time and intensity reasonably, pay attention to diet nutrition and joint warmth, etc. At the same time, regular physical examinations and timely medical treatment are also important measures to prevent knee degeneration.

In addition to the above suggestions, older people can also take the following measures to prevent knee degeneration:

9. Strengthen the muscles around the knee joint

The elderly can do some exercises for the muscles around the knee joint, such as quadriceps contraction exercises, which can enhance the stability of the knee joint and reduce wear and tear.

10. Use crutches properly

Crutches can help the elderly reduce the burden on the knee joints and reduce wear and tear. Therefore, when walking, the elderly can use crutches reasonably.

11. Go to physical therapy

Physical therapy can help the elderly relieve symptoms of knee pain and discomfort and promote the recovery of joint function. The elderly can undergo physical therapy under the guidance of a doctor.

12. Maintain a positive attitude

The mentality of the elderly also has a certain impact on the health of the knee joint. Maintaining a positive attitude can promote the physical and mental health of the elderly, help prevent knee joint degeneration, and improve the quality of life of the elderly.

▏How should middle-aged and elderly people with knee joint degeneration exercise?

As mentioned before, lack of exercise will affect the absorption of nutrients by articular cartilage, and will also affect the stability of the joints, which will accelerate the wear of articular cartilage. Therefore, whether it is to prevent or treat osteoarthritis, proper exercise is very necessary. So, what kind of exercises should middle-aged and elderly people do to protect their knee joints? There are mainly three types: joint stretching exercises, isometric muscle contractions, isotonic muscle contractions, and endurance exercises.

First of all, joint stretching exercises are very important for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Due to joint pain or fear of worsening pain, patients tend to reduce knee joint movement. If this continues for a long time, it will not only be detrimental to the nutrition of the joint cartilage, but will also cause contracture and atrophy of the joints and surrounding muscles, ligaments and other tissues, thereby aggravating the condition. Therefore, patients with knee osteoarthritis should try to do joint stretching exercises to maintain joint function without causing pain or aggravating the pain.

Secondly, isometric muscle contraction is a very suitable exercise method for patients with more severe joint swelling. This exercise method is also called static exercise, that is, the joints are immobile, so that the muscles are contracted, which is what we often call "tightening". In this process, the length of the muscle fibers remains unchanged, which can increase the stability of the knee joint. The recommended exercise is seated leg raises. Sit on a chair with a backrest that is slightly lower than the height of the knee by 2 cm, with the knee joint naturally leaning on the chair, then lift one calf, try to straighten the knee, maintain for about 10 seconds, and switch to the other leg. 20 times each time, more than 3 times a day. In the later stages of exercise, you can tie sandbags at the ankles to increase the exercise effect, but do not aggravate the symptoms.

Finally, when the patient's condition is better, endurance training can be performed appropriately. Endurance training mainly refers to outdoor sports, such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and other aerobic exercises. Through these aerobic exercises, blood flow can be increased, blood vessels can be dilated, local and systemic blood circulation can be promoted, and bones and joints can also benefit from them. For patients with osteoarthritis, these exercises can relieve symptoms, improve mood, etc., and have a positive therapeutic effect. The recommended exercise is walking. Walking is the most suitable endurance exercise for patients with osteoarthritis. Exercises such as swimming and cycling can also be tried. Although walking puts relatively little load on the knee joint, it is not always suitable for walking due to the influence of various factors such as the environment and climate.

For elderly patients with osteoarthritis, the speed and duration of walking should be adjusted appropriately according to the progress of their condition. Generally speaking, walking should not be too fast, and about 40 minutes a day is most appropriate. As the body gradually improves, the time of walking can be appropriately increased. For middle-aged and elderly people with knee degeneration, when the inflammation is more severe, they should avoid exercise and keep rest. However, once the symptoms are relieved, they should incorporate exercise into their daily life. When starting to exercise, they should follow the principle of gradual progress and gradually increase the amount of exercise. Do not over-exercise at the beginning to avoid aggravating joint damage.

In addition, exercise requires perseverance and cannot be done on and off. Just like the wear and tear of cartilage, the effect of exercise takes time to accumulate. Whether the result is good or bad, persistence is the key. By persisting in exercise, middle-aged and elderly people can maintain the flexibility and health of their joints, relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and improve their quality of life.

(Picture from the Internet)
Author | Han Mei was born in Dunhua City, Jilin Province. She is a practicing pharmacist and has worked in a well-known national tertiary hospital for more than 30 years. She has rich medical care experience. She has represented the hospital to go out for exchanges and study many times. She is an expert in food hygiene and nutrition, has a national nutritionist qualification, and is a science enthusiast.