Loose weight without Knee Injury

June 2, 2017Dr.Krunal Shah3 comments

As more and more people are engaging into the gym and sports activities day by day, we are getting healthy hearts but more of knee injuries and if we are overweight the pressure of exercising is even more.

Studies say you have high chances of Knee injury if you have high BMI(over weight)and that sounds obvious also.The knees will show the effects of constant usage, coupled with the physiological stress of being overweight and that means knee pain.

Lets talk Preventive. How to loose weight and take care of our knee in process.

1. DO NOT CROSS LIMITS….

Being overweight isn’t something to be ashamed about. Whether due to body chemistry, lifestyle considerations, or even gaining weight while recovering from an injury, we all fall out of optimum shape at times.

Even the world’s best athletes have to deal with the problem sometimes. Remember Arjuna Ranatunga and Inzamam Ul Haq? These two super-cricketer-turned pundits were known to be in a class by themselves athletically, but they struggled to maintain a healthy playing weight during their entire careers. So hey, don’t stress– being overweight can happen to anybody.

Here’s where it can become a problem in relation to the knees: Going too hard, too fast. One thing I see when overweight people attempt to shed kilos quickly is a tendency to overdo it out of the gate. Pushing the body extra-hard can certainly result in weight loss. However, if it involves running, we need to be careful that we don’t get overzealous with our workout. When you are overweight, you are definitely putting more stress on the knees with the extra kilos, no matter what the activity.

There’s another thing to consider: just carrying an unhealthy amount of extra weight (in general) can be a constant strain on your knees.

So I do want to encourage you to lose that weight if you feel like it’s not healthy– just do it gradually and in a moderate, low-impact way!

2.ALWAYS WARM UP

I recommend some light stretching before you start your workout. I know, I know, you are in hurry to get after it and start burning off your inches. But despite some recent advice to the contrary coming out of some circles, moderate stretching is still recommended to ease into a workout.

Before you run, do some light cardio such as jumping jacks, squats, or lunges. This boosts your oxygen flow and circulates synovial fluid into the knee, which will mitigate your chance of injury.

So remember, don’t skip the warm up! Making sure to stretch will pay off in the long run!

3. INCREASE INTENSITY GRADUALLY

Start lightly and build your way up to lose weight while still protecting your knees from pain.

Again, the sure way to cause injuries to the knees if you are overweight is to go too hard, too fast. The last thing I want to see is for somebody to start overdoing it out of the gate, then doing serious damage to their knees that will result in even more problems down the line.

So ease into your personal workouts, and ease into your overall fitness schedule. Create an overall target of where you want to be in regards to your weight, then take it step by step gradually.

So how should you start? Here Are 6 Exercises

1. STATIONARY BIKES

Many of the cardio fitness machines which are there in the gym are good in letting you control the pace and of your workout, and these can be good ways to introduce light to moderate cardio into your routine. Stationary bikes can be especially helpful when it comes to employing the interval workouts that can help you lose weight with the least strain on your knees.

2. CRUNCHES

These are like “half-situps”, but they don’t put undue strain on the back.Situps very favourite in people is actually harmful for Patellofemoral (Front of Knee) joint,ofcourse only after you have started some knee pain.

3. SQUATS.

Squats are a good exercise to help you ease into a workout because you can control how far you bend. the deeper you go, the more strain on the knees, so start by bending slightly, then adjust depending upon your comfort level. I recommend starting without weights. Adjust to your comfort level and try to keep your back straight as you do the exercise.

Legs muscles are large volume muscles so Leg workout burns up lots of calories ,ultimately helps you loosing weight.

3. LIGHT JOGGING

Remember, start gradually and build up as you begin to shed the weight. Running can really be a great exercise to lose weight, but you really need to start slow and then ramp it up as you go.

4.CYCLING

Cycling can be significantly more low-impact than running when it comes to the knees. and if you are a runner but are experiencing knee pain, I highly recommend switching to cycling or light trail biking to keep your body in optimum shape. cycling is also a great way to build your endurance and ease back into running if that’s your preferred method of exercise.

5.SWIMMING

Swimming is by far the best cardio workout for knee joint.EVen you can go ahead with it,with existing knee wear and tear.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IS THE KEY

Losing weight is not something that happens overnight. And with the added pressure of keeping your knees pain-free, the prospect can be stressfull. But if you remember that a moderate lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle, you’ll be able to position yourself to be healthy for the long time.

There are dietitians and personal trainers, who are specialized in helping people design sustainable, healthy lifestyles. Dont hesitate reaching out to them.

Trust me Healthy lifestyle is contagious,Your kids will also inherit it for sure.

3 comments. Leave new

Dr Vinod Shah

June 5, 2017 8:08 am

Dear Dr Krunal . You discussed and come out with very easy solution of day to day problem every individual come across in their daily life , very precisely you narrated to undergo for which exercises overweight Pt can do . Congratulations to you for your concerned about knee Pt . Please give more and more information