Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter

May 1, 2003

Issue Vol. 3 No. 5

In This Newsletter
Introduction
Healthfully yours
Health Hints

Introduction***

The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written monthly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and is not meant to prescribe treatments. It is offered strictly as an educational aid. Any medical problems you may have, we recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. You may wish to share this newsletter by sending a copy to a friend, neighbor or relative and suggesting they subscribe to it.

Website: http://www.doctorsexercise.com

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E-Mail address: newsletter@doctorsexercise.com

Healthfully Yours***

Protect your knees…you need them!

The knee is the largest joint in the body. They support a force of 1½ times the body’s weight while walking and 3 times the body’s weight when running. Knee pain is one of the most frequent complaints in our society today. More and more you hear of and come across people who need or have had knee replacement surgery.

This is a complex joint that is really 2 joints, comprised of 3 bones, the femur (thigh bone), tibia (the larger bone of the lower leg) and the patella (kneecap). The knee helps in stabilizing the leg and is the primary force in propelling the body in locomotion. There are also 2 cartilages within the knee joint called “Miniscus. It is these cartilages that provide the shock absorbing qualities of the knee as the heel strikes the ground sending the force upward, and they also afford shock- absorbing protection to the spine as well. The knees are also weight bearers. They support more than half of the body weight. It is these meniscal cartilages that bear 50 to 60 percent of the weight of the body.

The knees are very complex joints that require some form of stabilization. A network of muscles, ligaments and tendons contribute to this stabilization. The patella (kneecap) is often a cause for complaint, as it can be displaced, either through trauma or natural causes such as arthritis or other diseases. Very often the patella can be displaced due to biomechanical causes as well. Conditions such as pes planus (flat feet) set up muscle strains in the legs that will have an affect on the patella. When the muscles cause the bones of the leg to torque or rotate inward the patella will be displaced to the outside (lateral) border and is called “Genu varum”. When this displacement occurs to the inner (medial) border it is called “Genu valgum”.

Muscles are the so called “movers and shakers” that flex and rotate the knee joint. These muscles primarily aid in the body’s locomotion. Those muscles are the quadriceps, a set of four muscles that extend the leg, and the hamstring muscles that flex the leg. The gastrocnemious (calf) and the soleus muscles flex and rotate the leg. Two ligaments, called the cruciate and collateral stabilize the bones of the knee (femur and tibia). The cruciate ligaments, so named because of their crossed pattern connect the femur and tibia. The lateral collateral ligament connects the femur and fibula, while the medial collateral ligament connects the femur and tibia.

The medial collateral ligament is the one that is injured most often. The patella is also the most often involved in injuries and is involved in falls where the individual strikes the knee on a hard surface, causing fracture or even the patella being crushed. When fracture is not the result, the patella can be displaced as noted above. The patella is also a site for degenerative arthritis, where spurs commonly cause pain. Another condition that can occur is chondromalacia, a degenerative disease that generally affects the older individual, and usually it is the underside of the patella that is affected.

The wear and tear of everyday living, working, playing sports, etc. can play havoc with knees. These activities contribute to micro traumas that occur due to repetitive injuries and constant overuse. That is why athletes are so often plagued by knee pain as is anyone who constantly places the knees under severe torque-like movements. The amateur athlete and anyone who participates in sports, such golf, tennis, running, skiing, swimming, bowling, etc., are prone to injuries of the knees.

Anyone that has symptoms causing pain or discomfort of the knees should see their healthcare provider for an examination and evaluation to determine the cause. Getting a definitive diagnosis, with proper treatment can prevent a relatively minor condition from becoming a major problem, and possibly a disabling condition. Early intervention may also prevent future surgery.

There are steps that we can observe to maintain healthy knees that will serve us well into the golden years. Read about these steps in the health hints below.

Health Hints***

When doing chores around the house that require you to bend down, do not kneel on your

knees. Use a stool to sit on while performing these chores

When gardening, use the stool to sit on instead of kneeling on your knees.
If it is apparent that there is one leg shorter, causing a rolling gait, a heel lift or orthotic may be needed to balance the body. This is not unlike having the front end in your automobile balanced. For this you should seek the advice of your Chiropractor or physician.
For vague aches and pains, taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin on a daily basis, has been shown to be effective in many cases. Again, discuss this with your healthcare provider.
For minor aches and pains a conservative approach can be used at home. If the pains occur immediately after playing a game of golf, tennis, bowling, or running, use cold applications or icing down the painful areas. If after two days, the pain persists, use applications of moist heat. Using an analgesic such as Biofreeze, applied 3 or 4 times daily can be very effective.
For those who have troublesome knees while playing sports may want to ice their knees down and apply Biofreeze before engaging in the sport. After the game repeat the same procedure.
Prevention, after all is the best way in keeping the knees strong, healthy and functioning at optimal capacity, without aches and pains plaguing the individual. The best way to accomplish this is by instituting an exercise program. An exercise program to strengthen the knees should only be started when the knees are pain-free. The exercises should first be geared to strengthen the muscles (hamstrings and quadriceps) of the upper leg. These exercises should not put too much stress and strain on the knees while performing them. Once these muscles are built up and strengthened, another set of exercises should target the knees to build ligament strength.

To learn more on how to properly cope with muscle aches and pains, read the article in the “Doctor’s Journal”. Go to website: http://www.doctorsexercise.com. Click on “Journal Index” then the article on “Sprains/Strains”(What they are and how to treat them).

By following these simple suggestions, your knees will give you long and lasting service throughout your senior knees.

Doc Cane

Copyright, Disclaimer, and Trademark information Copyrightã 1997-2003 Emanuel M. Cane. All rights reserved. Except stated below, this material or parts thereof may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed by any means whatsoever without explicit, written permission from the author.

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