How to care for your knees
The number of knee replacements in Australia has risen by almost 30 per cent in the last 10 years.
A new approach to treating knee pain, called Osteoarthritis of the Knee Clinical Care Standard and developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality of Health Care, recommends GPs and knee-pain sufferers look at options like weight loss and exercise with the help of physiotherapists, exercise physiologists and dietitians instead of jumping straight to knee replacement surgery.
As we get older, we know to take extra care with our hearts and brains but we should also add knees to the list. Yet, paradoxically pain in the knees can lead to other health problems as it stops people from exercising.
So how do we avoid knee troubles in older age? Here are some quick tips.
Avoid weight gain – Adding extra kilos to your body doubles your risk of osteoarthritis. Eat well and keep physically active.
Strength training – Keep your leg muscles strong by strength training. It’s important that the muscles that support the knee joint are kept sturdy.
See a professional – Injuries to the knee can increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis so it’s important to get help from a physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist to ensure you’re exercising properly without risk of further injury,
Matthew Williams of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, tells Sydney Morning Herald, wants Medicare and private health insurers to rethink the current system.
"Because Medicare usually partially funds only five sessions with a physiotherapist in a calendar year, people with knee problems who might benefit from a program to help prevent surgery may have to pay $1000 upwards for treatment – while surgery which is covered by Medicare costs them little or nothing," he says.
"Knee replacements aren't without problems. As many as one in five people are dissatisfied with the outcome – they're often still in pain, for example. The surgery also has risks such as infection and cardiovascular complications. It's a fantastic operation if all other options are exhausted but often it's the first port of call.
"Yet reducing just five to 10 per cent of your body weight, together with an exercise program to strengthen muscles around the knees can result in a 30 to 50 per cent reduction in knee pain," says Williams.
Have you had knee surgery? What has your experience been like?