Is Walking For Knee Pain Good?

Walking for knee pain may be the last thing you would think of if you are suffering.

However, going on that walk may be one of the best things you can do to combat your pain.

Staying active is one of the keys to managing soreness in all of your joints, including your knees.

Some people are worried that a walk will put extra pressure on their joints and make their knee pain worse, which is a fair concern.

However, taking a walk has the opposite effect.

A walking regimen that you stick to can ease stiffness, reduce inflammation, strengthen your bones, and improve circulation.

This will all help to decrease pain in your knees.

In the article below, we will discuss how walking for knee pain helps by easing pain in the knee joints. We will also discuss the best way for you to get started walking for knee pain and how to find treatment for knee pain.

Table of Contents

    How Walking for Knee Pain Can Help

    Walking Rebuilds Joints and Strengthens Your Legs

    If your pain is due to a condition like arthritis, the cartilage in your knee can become damaged and worn.

    The end result is pain, stiffness, and problems with mobility.

    Walking can help rebuild the joint.

    The cartilage in your knee is like a sponge, and it gets nutrients from the compression and decompression of your body weight as you walk.

    Walking will also build muscles in your legs so they can relieve some pressure off of your joints and handle more of your bodyweight themselves. That means less stress and pain for your knees.

    -back to top

    Walking for Knee Pain

    Walking Helps Control Your Weight

    Another major benefit of a walking program is the effect it can have on your weight.

    Walking briskly for just thirty minutes can burn up to 200 calories.

    Over time, this can translate into meaningful weight loss, especially if combined with a healthy diet.

    Maintaining healthy body weight is especially important for people with knee pain.

    Every pound you are overweight translates into more stress placed on your knees throughout the day.

    By losing weight, you are reducing the stress put on your knees on a daily basis, therefore reducing the likelihood of having pain in your knees.

    -back to top

    How To Get Started

    You should aim for about 150 minutes of walking each week.

    That means walking for 30 minutes 5 times a week.

    If you’ve been inactive for a while, it’s okay to gradually build-up to this goal.

    When you start, walk slow and easy and progressively increase your walking time and pace.

    If you can only walk 10 minutes at a time right now, that’s fine, but try to walk for 15 minutes next week.

    Your goal is to stay committed to the activity. 

    Small victories, in the beginning, can build confidence.

    If you’re walking to ease pain, you may find that trekking poles give you the stability and pain relief needed to walk long distances.

    If walking is painful to begin with, you can do simple stretching to loosen your knees before walking.

    Or if the pain is just too severe, water therapy, where buoyancy can take the pressure off an aching joint, might be just what you need.

    A little muscle soreness is fine after walking, and it will decrease as you walk more and more.

    However, you need to stop walking right away if you feel severe pain or sudden, sharp pain in your knee.

    -back to top

    Start With A Warmup

    Warming up before you walk with prepare your body by increasing blood circulation throughout your body.

    This will prime your muscles to be stretched and helps your joints feel less stiff.

    Warming up can be a critical element that will help minimize pain during your walk and prevent future injuries.

    A couple of other ways to warm up before your walk are to hop on an exercise bike first.

    If you have an exercise bike, spinning at an easy pace on the bike before your walk is an excellent option.

    Cycling is low-impact and requires a greater range of motion for the knee.

    It would help if you also started slow. Walking at a moderate pace for the first 10 minutes of your walk will allow you to prepare your body for what’s ahead.

    Once your knees are feeling good, and your muscles are loose, you can increase your pace.

    -back to top

    Invest In Good Shoes

    When you’re walking to relieve knee pain, you don’t want to wear any old pair of shoes.

    Investing in a dedicated walking shoe that provides you with a good amount of cushion in the heel and is flexible in the forefoot will be well worth it.

    You also don’t want to wear shoes that have a big difference in the height of the heel and toe.

    Your old, worn-out shoes or athletic shoes that aren’t made specifically for walking will be less flexible and place more stress on your knees, and should be avoided.

    You could visit a walking or running store where someone can help you pick a shoe that fits you well.

    To find the best shoe for you, they will consider things like your individual arch height, toe box width, arch supports, and your stride into account.

    -back to top

    Contact Ethos Health Group

    If you’ve been walking for a while and still haven’t found relief from your knee pain, Ethos Health Group has developed its proprietary HyalRegen-CT method as a comprehensive solution for those suffering from knee arthritis and joint pain.

    Lubricating injections can be performed under precision imaging guidance, so we know we’re targeting precisely the right area. 

    This advanced medical process serves to add cushioning fluid back into and around your knee, like oil for a squeaky hinge. 

    Even more exciting, these F.D.A. cleared injections can help your knees stimulate more of their natural fluid, giving you long-term benefits and relief. 

    If you would like to learn more about what the Ethos Health Group can do for your knee pain and people with arthritis, click the button below to schedule a free consultation.

    Get Relief Now

    Book an Appointment