Obesity places stress on joints, increasing the risk and progression of both of these conditions. Maintain an ideal body weight: When it comes to preventing degenerative conditions like OA or a meniscal tear, maintaining an ideal body weight is key.Cycling is an equally attractive activity that puts less stress on your joints than running. Aquatic exercises like swimming or water aerobics can help take pressure off joints. Change exercise types: If you do high-impact exercises, like running, you may want to consider changing to a lower-impact activity.Working with a sports medicine specialist may help improve your running and jumping mechanics.
Strengthen your muscles: The risk of an MCL or LCL sprain can be reduced by regularly strengthening your quad muscles, hamstrings, and hip muscles.Don't skip the warmup: Warming up before you practice sports, especially high-activity sports like basketball, may help prevent injury.A physical therapist or personal trainer can help fine-tune your running or cycling technique to place less stress on your joints. Stretch before and after exercise: To avoid IT band syndrome or pes anserine bursitis, it is important to maintain flexibility in your hamstrings and quadriceps with regular stretching.
