A “trick knee” is a term you may have heard before. It describes a knee that easily buckles under or gives way without warning. If you have this kind of knee problem, you may experience anything from severe pain to minor discomfort. Instability in your knee can create a chain reaction too, causing other long-term problems.
Solving knee problems early on results in a positive outlook for the future of your spinal health. There are many different factors that, if not fixed early enough, can seriously damage your overall health. While your shoulders and your neck can affect your spinal health as well, your knees, as weight-bearing joints, can have a more dramatic impact.
Back Problems and Restoration
Spinal injuries and back illnesses are some of the most common health issues you experience during your life. Some injuries can happen as a result of an unstable knee, such as muscle strains and sprains caused by twisting your spine too quickly, falling, poor posture or sports. In older people, osteoarthritis increases the deterioration and wear and tear of your joints. Spinal osteoarthritis is a result of aging and occurs slowly, over a long time.
Some treatments available at the Southeastern Spine Institute (SSI) include everything from surgeries to physical therapy and instruction for preventing any further damage to your spine. The talented team at SSI work to restore spinal health that may have been compromised by your trick knee problems.
Spinal Problem Prevention
A few precautions you can take to keep your knees, legs, back and spine in good health include:
- Proper posture. Incorrect posture while sitting or standing can lead to pain and prevent proper functioning of your spine. Practicing proper posture by standing and sitting straight up is beneficial to your spinal health and keeps your knees in check as well.
- Exercise. Avoid high impact sports and motions that put weight on the spine. For example, jogging can create neck, shoulder, knee and back problems. Look into exercises — such as water aerobics, yoga, walking and stretching — that can reduce dangers to your knees and spinal health. Strengthening exercises that build muscles around your knees also help prevent sudden falls and twists.
- Get fitted for shoes. The right size shoes offer sufficient orthopedic support that can save you hours of misery.
- Lift correctly. Most common injuries to your back are a result of improper lifting. If you suffer from sudden knee misalignment, ask your physical therapist at SSI to teach you correct lifting techniques.
- Avoid trauma. Different kinds of trauma — such as a fall or car accident that result in fractures or dislocations of your spine — also can lead to major back problems.
Although there are many other precautions to take to ensure the best spinal health, listen to your body and seek help with even moderate discomfort before it becomes more serious. Create and follow routines that keep your knees in shape because ultimately your knees help keep your spine healthy, too. Weak knees are one of the biggest causes of long-term spinal injuries, so take precautions to strengthen and maintain your knees.