Save your knees

Carrying a heavy bag puts undue strain not just on your shoulders, but your knees, according to a recent study in the UK. Active! lets you in on the everyday habits that could be damaging your knees

Your knee problems could be the result of carrying heavy handbags everyday, according to new research by the British Chiropractic Association. According to studies, 50% of women suffer pain from carrying heavy handbags -- and now men are also suffering.

"Carrying heavy weights is detrimental to the knees just as weight-lifting and doing squats. The excessive pressure on the cartilage during the movement of getting up from a squatting position creates a grinding down-effect bio-mechanically across the articulating surface (i.e. the cartilage), between the tibia femur and the patella which constitutes the knee joint," says Dr Sanjay Agarwal, Chief of Surgery, Head- Orthopaedics and Traumatology, PD Hinduja National Hospital.

"Extra weight (carried in bags), often poorly distributed across the knees, magnifies the forces across the knee and other joints and is therefore detrimental in the long-term, and can accelerate arthritis," he adds. Those who have to commute vast distances to work should stretch their legs in between travel time, advises Dr Ashish Arbat, Arthoscopic and Joint Replacement Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan.

Everyday habits including climbing stairs and getting up from a squatting position can also do a lot of damage to your knees, often without you even knowing it. "Doing all anti-gravity activities damage knees because the load then equals six times our body weight. A walk uphill is also an anti-gravity act," says Dr Shreedhar Archik, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Lilavati Hospital. Bad footwear, squatting and no exercise can also lead to knee problems at a young age, says Dr Arbat.

In your genes
Knee problems or weak knees can also be inherited, making muscle toning around the knee and hip area very important. "Several knee issues can be avoided if we maintain good knee muscle tone through regular exercises like cycling and swimming. Activities like jogging should be supervised, as they may cause pain if started suddenly or abruptly stopped, and if combined with poor muscle tone," says Dr Arbat. "To suddenly get up while sitting on the floor is also quite damaging on the knees. Climbing too many stairs -- we have seven-storied buildings without elevators -- so imagine what happens to the knees of the guys living on the top floors. Unsupervised exercise in the gym i.e. over-running, excess weight-training and doing squats with weights can also be quite harmful for the knees," says Dr Archik. Squatting and sitting cross-legged, say experts, causes severe strain on the knee cartilage. They also advise against making sudden movements. However, newer studies and treatments mean a higher chance of finding a cure, they assure us.

Bone health
Knee pain isn't the only thing we should be concerned about, warn doctors. We could also be putting ourselves at risk for developing bone diseases, including osteoporosis. Nutritional calcium deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency are other concerns. Knee osteoarthritis is among the most common problems. It is caused due to wear and tear of the joint. Genetics, however, play a key role, and patients in the same age group may suffer from the disease in varying degrees. Apart from genetics, the other factor that speeds up the process of bone degeneration is 'load' or the weight borne by the knees. Therefore, keeping one's weight in check is key. The load borne by the knees while working against gravity is six times the body weight. So, if you gain 10 kilos, then the knees end up carrying 60 extra kilos. A mild pain on the inner side of the joint, typically felt while getting up from a squatting position or while climbing stairs is the first sign of arthritis. Patients with advanced arthritis should avoid climbing too many stairs and sitting on the floor.

Carrying a backpack is the wiser choice
According to research by the British Chiropractic Association heavy bags -- weighing, on average, 6.2 kilos -- put unbalanced strain and stress on the body, which can lead to pain, poor posture and health problems. When carrying a load, the body dramatically adapts and compensates, and even more so when wearing heels.u00a0
In the long-term, women can develop arthritis from increased pressure. Carrying a heavy bag can, over time also cause disc degeneration and prolapse: when the soft tissue inside the disc ruptures out of it, pressing on the nerves.

What to do: Experts suggest, limiting loads and distributing the weight you're carrying. Carry a backpack or separate possessions into two bags. Backpack users need to carry bags for the shortest time possible and switch sides at regular intervals, which allows for muscles to rest. A bag with wide straps is also a good idea, as it helps better distribute the pressure across the shoulder.

5 ways you could be putting undue strain on your knees
Gaining weight

Excess weight is not good for your body, and more so for your knees, as knees have to support six times the body weight. Excess weight only increases the strain on the knees. Follow a balanced diet and exercise in moderation to maintain weight.

Over-exercising or running on the road

High-impact activities like jogging on hard surfaces with improper footwear damage the knees, as these activities put undue strain on the knees.
It is best to engage in moderate exercise under expert supervision and to run on a dirt track or a treadmill instead.

Carrying heavy handbags

According to the study, when you carry a heavy bag, your neck naturally leans away from the load to help carry and balance the weight. This causes tension on the carrying side of the neck and compression on the opposite side. The shoulder bearing the load is rotated backwards and raised all the time, which affects the muscles running down the upper back, the shoulder blades and those supporting the spine, which tire and spasm. Long-term, this can lead to painful arthritis. The arm carrying the bag remains static while walking to keep the load still and balanced. The nerves in the arms can also become irritated by the pressure of the bag, leading to chronic pain. Carrying a backpack is a better option.

Wearing high heels

Wearing heels on a regular basis can lead to knee injury and pain, says Dr Kaushal Malhan, Knee and Hip surgeon, Fortis Hospital.
Walking in heels puts the knee in a forward-bent position in order to balance the body, which increases load or weight on the knees.

Using an Indian-style potty

Squatting, sitting cross-legged, sitting on low levels or on the floor are all ways in which the knees are abused. These activities accentuate the wearing out of cartilage. The best solution is exercise: walking on an even surface, most days of the week.