Everyone complains about knee pain at some point in their lives. In fact, 1 out of 3 Americans have reported that they're suffering from knee pain.

There are several factors that increase one's risk for knee problems - excess weight, sports injury/trauma, lack of flexibility or strength - but osteoarthritis remains as the leading cause especially for adults aging 50 and older.

Osteoarthritis can cause the cartilage to wear away, which leads to pain, swelling, and stiffness. Once the cartilage has been completely worn down, your bones will start rubbing against each other.

There is no known cause for osteoarthritis but being overweight, old age and joint injuries can increase your chances of being at risk. Women are also more prone than men, especially after reaching the age of 50.

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Things to Know About Knee Pain in Vacaville

If you want to reduce knee pain and prevent injuries in the process, then here are some preventive measures that you need to follow.

1. Maintain a healthy weight - Having a healthy weight can help reduce the stress on your knee joints. This can also help lower your risk of developing osteoarthritis.
2. Exercise regularly - Avoid long periods of being sedentary followed by weeks of intense exercise. Your exercise should be done consistently and gradually increase its intensity to avoid injuries. If you're not having fun with your exercise, then try a different class or learn a new sport that may suit you.
3. Warm-up before your workout - Before engaging in your daily workout, you should allow 15-20 minutes to warm up properly and follow up it up with light cardiovascular exercises and stretches. An increase in your heart rate and circulation will allow your joints to loosen up and increase blood flow to the muscles. It will help prevent injuries as well.
4. Wear fitting shoes - Whatever activity it is that you're doing, make sure that you're wearing the proper footwear for it. If you're running, wear shoes that can totally support your foot and cushion your stride.
5. Listen to your body - If running somewhat aggravates your knees, you can instead switch to low-impact exercises like swimming or rowing machines. These exercises are still great for the heart and they won't hurt your knees.

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When to call a doctor

There are severe cases where knee pain can heavily impact your quality of life.

You should call the doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Knee swelling
• Unable to bear the weight on your knee
• There's a deformity in your leg or knee
• You can't fully extend or flex your knee
• You're experiencing fever in addition to the pain, redness, and swelling in your knee
• Your knees are starting to feel unstable

The majority of knee injuries can be treated without the need for surgery. You will be recommended to wear a knee brace or crutches depending on the severity of the situation. If you want, you can undergo physical therapy to help your knee recover from such an injury.

For more information on knee pain and the effective treatment methods for it, you can go contact Dr. Alex Tam of Vacaville. He's the owner of the top chiropractic and holistic center in the Solano county so it's a guarantee that he can provide you with answers regarding your knee pain.