My knees suffering from cartilage softening... What kind of exercise can help alleviate the pain a bit more?

How is your knee health?

 

As I get older, the places that hurt keep increasing, and I feel sad and upset for no reason.

My knees have actually been troublesome since my thirties.

I don't remember why the symptoms suddenly started.

Suddenly, without any memory of rapid weight gain or strenuous exercise, my knees started to ache. After sitting for a long time and then standing up, I found it difficult to straighten my knees, and the pain was severe, making it hard to walk properly.

Since I was young, I thought I would recover eventually, so I left it alone, but gradually I started experiencing pain while walking downhill and even while standing in a posture to brush my teeth. When I visited the hospital, I was diagnosed with chondromalacia.

I have been playing table tennis for over 15 years, but since table tennis isn't good exercise for my knees, I can't even enjoy it as a hobby;;;

 

I personally tried Pilates as an exercise to build muscle, but there were too many movements I couldn't do because of knee pain~

These days, I have started health PT and am exercising gradually, doing as much as I can.

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Chondromalacia: A condition characterized by softening of the articular cartilage (hyaline cartilage) of the kneecap, commonly occurring in young adults, especially women. It progresses from a stage where there is simple swelling in the cartilage to cracks across the entire thickness of the cartilage, which can lead to damage.

The cause can occur when the kneecap is dislocated or fractured, resulting in misalignment of the joint surface during healing, or when the kneecap cartilage is damaged due to trauma, such as a strong impact to the front of the knee, but it can also occur without any specific trauma.

 

 

One of the sudden fleeting thoughts that comes to mind is from when I was a third-year university student, and I went to the beach to play, doing some kind of murder dodgeball or something, and I really collided hard with a first-year male junior...

I remember how hard I hit my knee and shin, to the point where I limped for about two weeks. After the impact, for about 2-3 days, the bruise was very severe and walking was painful, so my younger sibling had to carry me... surprisingly, I didn't go to the hospital.

It's not like I'm some stubborn mule;;; but... I was fully recovered after two weeks...

Do you think that the natural healing that occurred while the injury was still damaged at that time might have also had an effect?

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The symptom is a persistent dull pain in the front of the knee. When watching movies, riding in a car, going somewhere, or sitting in the office and staying in the same position for a long time without moving, the pain worsens significantly. The pain is also severe when climbing or descending stairs, or when standing still for a long time doing activities like washing dishes or brushing teeth.

Swelling extends to the calf, including the knee. When knee pain worsens, it can also affect the ankles or hips.

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It's quite amazing that once diagnosed and when the pain is severe, going to the hospital, getting injections, physical therapy, and medication together, it improves each time, just with different durations.

It was okay for a while, but the pain has started again. They say that damaged cartilage cannot be restored unless surgery is performed.

The doctor said that if I just try to save it as much as possible and it really becomes unusable, surgery is the only option;;;

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I also try to be as careful as possible because I know this can't fully heal... Since I have very little muscle and my posture is worse than I thought, I constantly experience pain, and it's really a struggle.

Seeing that I still can't fix it despite knowing, I guess it's still worth living. ^^

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These days, with the rainy season coming, my knee pain has worsened again, so I'm trying to overcome it through exercise and even getting personal training at the gym, but it's not getting better. In the end, today I am going back to the hospital.

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But I've also been suffering from cartilage softening for nearly 10 years...

I heard that strengthening the thigh muscles to alleviate pain is good for poor cartilage.

Running is difficult, so I've been walking quickly, using the treadmill, or climbing stairs. Recently, the pain has been quite severe, so I'm wondering if it's okay to just walk on the treadmill.

Even if I run lightly, running still affects the knees, so it probably isn't okay, right??

I tried jump rope recently, and since there was no pain, I thought it was okay, so I did it for a few days, but then I immediately felt pain;;;;

I realized it was a foolish mistake.

Actually, when it comes to moving activities like walking, my knees hurt less, so I think walking might be better, but I'm not sure... It's confusing...

I think it might be better to just use weight machines for muscle-building exercises.

What kind of exercises are everyone using to overcome knee pain???

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I'm not particularly overweight, but I think it would be worse if the load on my knees increases, so I am consistently dieting.

Consistently doing exercises that don't strain the knees is harder than I thought.

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I'm also trying to fix the posture I often have at the office, which is said to be a really bad posture;;;

Sometimes I unconsciously adopt the same posture all the time, so I suddenly change my position...

 

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Do you ever sit with your legs crossed in an X shape or with one leg half-crossed while working in the office?

I habitually adopt this posture when I get so focused on work that I don't even realize it...

It's a posture that puts severe pressure on the knees and is bad for the pelvis, spine, and lower back...

 

 

 

 

These days, as a beginner at the gym, I'm learning how to use each equipment step by step and receiving personal training. Haha

When will I become strong and healthy enough to do the exercises I want to do to stay healthy???

 

I will share information for knee health.

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The casual comfortable postures we unconsciously adopt in daily life can harm our knee joints, so we need to be cautious. Especially for Koreans who are accustomed to a sitting culture, they often sit with their legs crossed in a traditional manner, kneel, squat, or sit with their legs crossed on chairs. However, these postures can place excessive strain on the joints or cause damage, so we should be careful. But why is that?

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▷Seated cross-legged posture = 'Sitting on the floor and leaning back on the sofa' is a relatable topic for all Koreans. It indicates that Koreans find floor living comfortable and familiar. The cross-legged sitting posture, where the legs are folded, is a typical position when sitting on the floor, but if maintained for a long time, it can increase the load on the knee joints and cause severe pain. When sitting in a cross-legged position, the knees bend more than 130 degrees, and at this time, forces about 7 to 8 times the body weight are applied to the knee joints, causing excessive tension in the surrounding ligaments and muscles. If this posture is practiced habitually, it is highly likely to lead to cartilage damage within the knee joints.

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Crossing legs posture = Many people habitually cross their legs every time they sit in a chair. Sitting with legs crossed can cause weight to shift onto one knee, stretching the ligaments and muscles around the knee, which can negatively affect the knee joint. This may lead to bow-leggedness like O-shaped legs, and cause body imbalance, potentially twisting the pelvis. When the pelvis is twisted, normal walking can be disrupted, leading to excessive pressure on one leg, and it can also contribute to cartilage damage in the joints.

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Squatting posture = Bending the knees or sitting for long periods while working can be detrimental to joint health. Many people engaged in agriculture may also complain of joint pain because of this. This is mainly because they work in a squatting position for extended periods, which causes the knee angle to bend more than 140 degrees, applying pressure about seven times the weight on the cartilage. In particular, this posture transmits even the body's weight to the knees, which can directly cause arthritis.

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◇To prevent arthritis, sitting in a chair is essential

To protect the knee joints, it is important to avoid sitting postures and to pay attention to your posture so as not to put excessive strain on the knees. It is preferable to develop a habit of sitting on a chair rather than on the floor. Additionally, since joints are greatly affected by body weight, managing your diet to lose excess weight is also important if you are overweight. Engaging in moderate exercises such as cycling and swimming regularly can help improve joint flexibility. The best remedy is rest. Taking breaks to stretch and relax muscle tension is also effective in preventing arthritis.

 

 

Doing exercises like this comfortably is also said to help your knees~ Please keep that in mind~~