KNEES

We put an enormous amount of mechanical stress on our knees on a daily basis. And, typically, the knee is designed to take it. However, certain bad habits could be shortening the life of your knees and opening the door to chronic pain and disability.

Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.

The way you stand, walk, and move can have a tremendous impact on the health of your knee joints. Taking time now to evaluate some basic choices, such as your stance, your shoes, and your level of overall health and fitness, may help you side-step debilitating knee conditions like osteoarthritis and help keep your knees healthy, inside and out.

Your knees bear the brunt of your body weight, so it's crucial that you maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Every extra pound you carry ads up to 3 pounds of pressure on your knee joints when you walk, and 10 pounds when you run. So, if your BMI is 25 or more, you may be compromising the health of your knees. In fact, obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for developing osteoarthritis because it speeds the breakdown of cartilage. Dropping extra weight -- particularly body fat -- may be the single most important thing you can do to reduce the risk of developing a serious knee problem.

If your body is not properly aligned, your muscles, joints, and ligaments take more strain than they are able to endure healthfully.

Vitamins C, D, E and B and minerals like calcium, zinc, chondrotin, and omega 3 are a must in the diet that is good for your knees.

To avoid injury when running, never run straight down a steep hill. Walk down it. If walking downhill is out of the question, then run down in a zigzag pattern.

Tips to prevent knee problems:

· weight loss

· Good nutrition (proper supplementation)

· proper warming up and stretching

· take care of your feet,

· wear proper shoes so you can have proper support

· make sure your back is properly adjusted

· use common sense