[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/start-moving-why-knee-pain-shouldnt-stop-you\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/start-moving-why-knee-pain-shouldnt-stop-you\/","headline":"Start Moving \u2013 Why Knee Pain Shouldn\u2019t Stop You","name":"Start Moving \u2013 Why Knee Pain Shouldn\u2019t Stop You","description":"  The summer 2016 Olympics are well underway and watching the athletes push themselves to their limits during the events is inspiring. Even more so when you hear their stories of what it took them to get them there. We hope these stories will help motivate those of you who have slowly stopped moving over […]","datePublished":"2016-08-08","dateModified":"2024-01-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/author\/developer\/#Person","name":"Nick Petersen","url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/author\/developer\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8ea7fc410413ee0b715aee4c6b2d912c09623af5f85eaca6f6d7e0a2c223e1df?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8ea7fc410413ee0b715aee4c6b2d912c09623af5f85eaca6f6d7e0a2c223e1df?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Reflex Knee Specialists","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/b1ec2b6df7.nxcli.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.png","url":"http:\/\/b1ec2b6df7.nxcli.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.png","width":169,"height":104}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2517567.webp","url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2517567.webp","height":1536,"width":1536},"url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/start-moving-why-knee-pain-shouldnt-stop-you\/","about":["Blogs"],"wordCount":481,"articleBody":" The summer 2016 Olympics are well underway and watching the athletes push themselves to their limits during the events is inspiring. Even more so when you hear their stories of what it took them to get them there. We hope these stories will help motivate those of you who have slowly stopped moving over time due to a struggle with knee pain to get active again. In general, when you feel pain this is the body\u2019s alert system, telling you to stop doing the thing that\u2019s hurting because something is wrong. But this is not always the case when it comes to knee pain. Stiffness and discomfort of the knee are often a sign of wear and tear on the joint in the form of\u00a0osteoarthritis, a disease that worsens if you stop exercising.  Start Moving It\u2019s a phrase you\u2019ve probably heard many times \u2018motion is lotion.\u2019 When you move, it helps\u00a0lubricate your knees\u00a0by releasing what\u2019s called synovial fluid. This liquid bathes the cartilage and is necessary for the connective tissue in your joints to move more easily and provide nutrients to the area.\u00a0Cartilage is made of collagen, which when dry turns to stiff rope-like fibers. However, when this collagen matrix is sodden with water, it turns into more of a gel consistency. This stiffening of the tissue is why when you first get out of bed, or up from sitting for a long period that your movements feel tense and slow. Your joints need lubrication to get going, which is created by you getting up and moving. In the long run, staying stationary will also negatively affect your muscles as they start to atrophy due to lack of use. Lack of muscle strength can contribute to knee instability and pain as the supporting leg muscles cannot properly support the joints movement and weight placed on it. Exercise Smarter To prevent this from happening, doctors recommend daily exercise to keep your muscles strong and your joints healthy. In fact,\u00a0studies show\u00a0that regular low-impact exercise is an essential part of any treatment plan for knee pain. That doesn\u2019t mean you need to hit the gym hard or to work up a huge sweat. You simply need to be moving your joints through a full range of motion to keep them flexible and lubricated. Two of the best activities to achieve this are walking and\u00a0aquatic exercise. Walking you can do anywhere, anytime and in addition to improving your knee pain it has a multitude of health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and heart disease. Aquatic exercise is excellent, especially for individuals who are just starting to work out again or are carrying excess weight as the water relieves some the pressure on your joints and the resistance encourage more gentle and thoughtful movement."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blogs","item":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Start Moving \u2013 Why Knee Pain Shouldn\u2019t Stop You","item":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/start-moving-why-knee-pain-shouldnt-stop-you\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]