We all experience aches and pains now and again. But it's about how we treat these pains and respond to them that helps us to truly prevent future ongoing conditions. Knee pain is a particularly common one—but what can you do to fight off this common ache?

Here are just a few examples of how to change up your everyday habits to fight off knee pain.

Injury Awareness

Have you ever been dealt a blow to your knees from a fall, an accident or a tumble during physical activity? If so, you might occasionally experience lingering pain. Sometimes injuries even happen and you don't realize it. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of common knee pain symptoms that can be a sign of injury. If you experience pain from a confirmed or suspected injury for more than a few days, it could be time to be seen by a physician.

Pre-Exercise Routines

If you regularly (or not so regularly) exercise, odds are you may encounter some aches and pains overnight that might hinder your routine the following go-around. Post-exercise knee pain might be a sign you're not taking the proper precautions before you begin working out. It may be worth a visit to your doctor to diagnose the problem and heal or treat it through physical therapy. The causes could include a lack of stretching your hip flexors, hamstrings, IT bands, etc., before you begin exercising.

Change Your Jogging Habits

Speaking of exercise, jogging is a fitness routine that highly impacts your knees. For avid runners, knee injuries account for 42 percent of all related injuries. Why is that? A lot of these injuries have to do with how you jog. This primarily has to do with form, foot strike and, commonly, an inherent hip dysfunction. Want a personal take on how your running habits are affecting your knees and feet? Contact us to set up an appointment for a running analysis.

Workplace Stiffness

Sometimes knee pain is a direct result of the nature of your regular job. If you have an office job that entails being at a desk for most of your day, don’t sit for great lengths of time. Time out opportunities to take a stroll around the office on a regular basis to keep stiffness from setting in. Or consider looking for ways to stand and work throughout the day. Many offices have employed "sit-stand desks" to combat these types of conditions from setting in.

Know Your Feet

Your knee pain may be about more than just your knees. Your feet can have a dramatic effect on the wellbeing of your knees. What shoes you choose to wear, particularly during training or exercise, can have a big impact on your knee conditions. Luckily there are ways to pinpoint where you're going wrong with shoe selection—stopping in to see our pedorthist Reid Herrboldt is a great first step. Want some guidance on the best types of shoes? Contact OI, and our pedorthist Reid Herrboldt will set up a running analysis/walking analysis to see what shoe might be right for you. 

Need to Be Seen?

If you've experienced knee pain from an injury, you can set up an appointment to see a physical therapist or specialized D1 trainer to establish an injury-prevention program to strengthen your core, hips, hamstrings and other lower extremities to positively impact your flexibility and strength.