It is estimated that in the next six years, nearly 6.5 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. In fact, the average age of diagnosis is expected to fall from 72 to 55. This drastic drop of diagnosis age is likely to be influenced by the rising rate of obesity among Americans. It’s a known medical fact that obese people are twice as likely to have a form of arthritis; this is due to the extensive pressure put upon joints due to the extra weight.  Another factor in the risk of osteoarthritis is gender. Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed. This is due to women having wider hips, which inadvertently adds more stress on their knees.  Another contributing factor to the increased risk in women is fashion.

High-Heels Equal High Risk

It is estimated that one-third of the female population suffer from permanent problems as a result of wearing high-heeled shoes for an extended period of time. Shoes with a heel height of over two inches shifts the foot forward, forcing more weight to be balanced on the wearer’s toes. This shift of weight bearing causes the body to tilt forward. In order to maintain balance the wearer of the shoe must lean backwards which overarches their back. As one could expect, the altered posture changes the fluidity of bipedal walking. An added strain is present in the hips, knees, and low back. Researchers analyzed how the presence of high-heels impacted the health of the knee and were astonished at the results. Overall the study showed in increase in bone on bone impact directly in the knee joint caused by increased extensor movement.

Height does matter. Research from the University of Southern California revealed that wearing 3.75-inch heels increases the stress on knee joints by 90% compared to wearing half inch heels. Separate research concluded that walking in high-heels may predispose the joint to degenerative changes. While height does matter, width does not. Both stilettos and wedges increase pressure on your knee. The easiest change to avoid pain caused by footwear is to opt for comfort over style.

Exercise is A Must

The  Northwestern University School of Medicine found that more than 40% of men and 56% of women with osteoarthritis of the knee were sedentary, meaning they did not engage in at least one 10 minute session of exercise in the course of a week. This is largely due to the misconception that exercise is detrimental to joints. There is absolutely no evidence to support this belief, instead evidence points to exercise actually improving joint tissue health as well as improving bone density and joint function. Some effective exercises to help reduce knee pain while increasing joint health are walking between 7000-10000 steps per day, weight training, stretching, and core work. In fact multiple studies have shown that building your quadriceps is especially important in maintaining knee health. Stretching and strengthening the muscles above, around, and below your knee is key in reducing knee pain.

Joint Food

Inflammation (the leading cause of knee pain) can be reduced by eating a whole-food based diet. One food in particular that can be beneficial for preventing and treating osteoarthritis is broccoli. In fact most cruciferous vegetables, such as brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli are known for their ability to block key enzymes that damage cartilage. Other foods that can help with osteoarthritis pain are those high in Vitamin D and animal based Omega-3 fats. The addition of turmeric or curcumin as spices in everyday meals also helps relieve pain in much the same fashion as over the counter ibuprofen would.