Prof. Amy FU, Peter Hung Professor in Pain Management, Associate Head and Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Associate Director of the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), wrote an article in Ming Pao to elaborate on the causes and symptoms of knee pain in the elderly, as well as related knee care solutions.
PolyU research has shown that muscle tension and lack of strength in the foreleg are the causes of early knee degeneration. As our muscle mass, strength and flexibility decrease with age, the ability of our knees to absorb shock reduces, causing overload in the knees. In addition, many elderly people do not swing their arms and have their upper bodies swinging from side to side like a pendulum when they are walking. This not only causes difficulty in walking, but also increases the load on the knees. Therefore, the muscles of the hips, thighs, calves, and lower back all need to have good strength, flexibility, softness, and coordination to reduce the load on the knees.
Prof. Fu mentioned that excessive load on the knees during walking is the main cause of pain. Therefore, the lower limbs must maintain balance so that the knees are gradually bent to reduce the load on knees when walking. In addition, we should move our legs and swing the opposite arms forward when walking, and this can save walking energy if the whole body is coordinated.
She also pointed out that muscle mass reduces with age, with 8% loss of muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 40 and 15% loss of muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 70. Therefore, starting exercises early to strengthen our knees and doing exercises consistently can help reduce muscle loss effectively and maintain strong and flexible muscles, thus improving knee health and reducing the risk of falls.
Online coverage:
Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/4b0JkRe; https://polyu.me/4b5D4Yt (Chinese only)
| Research Units | Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology |
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