There is hope for damaged knees!
When the cure for osteoarthritis is found, it will save society billions of dollars and bring the knee replacement industry to a screeching halt. However, as the scientists and researchers look for this elusive cure what can we do to ameliorate or prevent this painful and debilitating condition?
A knee injury can happen to anyone. Whether by stepping in a hole during a brisk walk, twisting a knee in a friendly tennis match or preparing for high level competition, a torn meniscus is still a torn meniscus. The joint is no longer normal. A torn meniscus is essentially the start of knee degeneration. If surgery is required and a piece of the meniscus is removed, it is a virtual guarantee that the damaged knee will become arthritic.
.....Yet, there is hope. As Dr. Stone suggests in his blog, there are options. First, do not ignore your injury. Next, find a doctor who is up to date with the latest techniques and options. Lastly, while some of the latest techniques are expensive and not yet covered by insurance they are still worth considering and discussing with your doctor.
The other bit of good news is that through exercise you can improve the prognosis for your damaged knee. Keeping the surrounding muscles strong will help to protect the joint. Also, by choosing activities that are less damaging to the knee and limiting activities to those that are really important in your life, you can slow the wear and the progression of knee osteoarthritis.
As I have discovered and espoused over the years, a properly designed land exercise routine combined with a deep water exercise program is the best way to improve your overall fitness and is especially effective for strengthening a damaged knee joint.
Link to Dr. Stone's Blog: http://www.stoneclinic.com/blog/Arthritis-Preventable-Disease?mc_cid=70a97dcf69&mc_eid=1dcc5ccc1c