Why Your Knees Hurt As You Age (and How to Fix It)

Why do your knees hurt as you get older? Is it knee osteoarthritis? Is it from running too much? Find out why your knees hurt and how to fix knee pain in this video.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
03:36 How to Fix Knee Pain
05:09. Exercise #1
07:50 Exercise #2
11:15 Summary of Exercises
11:38 Medical advice to rest + More Resources
12:04 Closing

HELPFUL LINKS

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At Upright Health we give you strategies and research to get your life back.

With principled functional training, we believe everyone can beat chronic pain and get strong, mobile, and resilient.

Our home training programs help you troubleshoot and train your body safely. We help you tear down fear and build up muscle. We help you think right, move right, and feel right.

Matt Hsu's own battle with chronic pain from the age of 16 in his feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, hands, and head gives him a uniquely thorough understanding of musculoskeletal pain, the ways in which it can undermine an entire life, and the mental and physical hurdles that keep people from getting out of it.

When not filming videos, he's working out in the living room, surfing, learning dance or gymnastics moves, or riding a bike with his son in tow.

ENDING CREDITS MUSIC

ABOUT THIS VIDEO
Learn how to relieve knee pain as you get older. Knee pain from old age isn't from overuse. It's from UNDERuse. In this video you'll learn simple exercises for knee pain that will help you relieve knee pain and strengthen your knees safely and gradually.

#RelieveKneePain #KneeArthritis #UprightHealth

[Uprighthealth]

What was your favorite part of this video? Drop me a comment!👇

[zeghamawan]

I'm 54 and have been working out most of my adult life. However, about 12 months ago, I developed a pain in my left knee, which my doctor diagnosed as "runners knee." Given my age, possibly arthritis. He recommended rest. Every so often, I would try and get out and run, but the pain persisted. I've tried your exercises and for the first time in a year I'm pain-free and able to run. I wish I had found your channel sooner before I started popping pills and buying massaging machines. Love your channel, keep up the good work 👏

[dougcarson]

He's absolutely right, and I know this from personal experience. As early as my late 30s, I noticed that I was having knee pain while climbing stairs. Shortly thereafter, I started doing yoga, and the knee pain disappeared. Didn't stick with the yoga, and the knee pain returned. Eventually started doing vigorous walks and hikes, and the knee pain disappeared again. I'm now in my early 60s. To this day, I have noticed a very clear pattern of the knee pain returning when I go through largely sedentary periods, only to disappear again when I recommit to regular walks and hikes. As the classic phrase goes, "use it or lose it".

[chococat]

This is SO helpful! I am 62 years old and have recently begun experiencing pain and stiffness in my knees, especially when climbing the stairs. This video gives me hope that it’s not necessarily a downward spiral, and that I can restore mobility to my legs. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[beverlycleaveland]

My husband had a stroke last month and his knees had already been hurting before and he was walking up to 2 miles a day before this happened. He is currently in Rehab but will be released next week, so these exercises will be wonderful for him. He turns 80 in November and is one of those people that has a great determination to make his life better. Thank you so much for your channel!

[patmartens]

I am 94 and this is brilliant and really helps. I am starting slowly and can feel this is going to help me tremendously thank you very much.

[frankperez]

Hamstring exercise worked for me. I’m 64 and stand for 10 hours a day at my job knee pain went away immediately after the hamstring exercise you’re a god sent.

[ADKJim]

Not only does exercise strengthen the muscles around the joint, it also promotes the production of synovial fluid which is what lubricates your joints.

[patriciapiper]

The best part of your videos is every part. The way you speak, the way you care about me, your honesty honesty honesty!!!! Thankyou for caring about all of us.

[marisolgonzales]

You are awesome!! I was told by a doctor I could not go to the gym no more. He said I done did all my walking. He told me to walk less. I could not believe it. I went home to cry. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[PoeCommunicateATL]

I'm a 58-year-old triathlete and runner and I am thankful for this video and your expertise.
You are saying what I've been saying to so many peeps who immediately start going on about how they cannot run because of "bad knees!" 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[mcbrion]

The part that addresses muscle atrophy. If you've been bodybuilding for 5 decades (like me), and then going to the gym less and less (especially during COVID), I could tell I was losing strength overall. Bags of groceries even felt heavier.
But being the age I am (71), I have told my peers that if they remember our grandparents complaining about their legs, and how - back after someone turned 65 (in the 1950s), they spent more time sitting - and a LOT more time complaining about their "rheumatism." And I'd remind my peers that many people find it harder getting UP from a chair, than sitting down because their thigh muscles are getting weaker because they sit so much! (It didn't help, even though they knew I'd been in competition 40 years (in the 1970s) ago and I knew what I was talking about ).

So, good for you! People in the 21st century in particular (even some guys I watch in the gym( seem less aware of the (and frequently because they're so engrossed in computers and smartphones and are not "in the moment, so they don't notice their body is getting weaker). The spend more time on their smartphone in between sets than they should (60-90 seconds between sets MAX used to be the rule back in the days of Ah-nold, Sergio Nubret and others).

Keep up the great videos. This is the first of yours I've come across, but I like being reminded to do things now that I'm OLD!! (LOL). So I subscribed (it also jogs my memory, another of those things that goes when you get older!)
I came across the "Asian squat" video 30 minutes ago, and promptly got down to see if I could do it. (I could, but getting back up was a bit...challenging). So, I sat back down (in a chair, natch!), waited 10 minutes, and then did the Asian squat again, and....it was easier. So people don't even have to wait 12 hours or 24 hours to try it again. And they can always - as you pointed out (and as I've told friends) "use the wall for balance if your legs muscles are really weak!"
(Great minds think alike!)

Bottom line: Your '60s and '70s (I mean age, not the decade!) is NOT the time to get lazy with the body. Exactly the opposite: if you don't maintain strength, you're going to have muscle atrophy (AND PAIN) in every part of your body!! Who needs that?!!?!?

[marilynhaverly]

This is such good info. I'm 69 and a few months ago knee twinges and general body mechanic discomfort sent me to a physical therapist. Subsequently, I started strengthening my muscles by regular Yoga practice and by cleaning up my diet a little. What a difference! This is a good reminder to keep up the work and I'll be adding these exercises. I need to keep up with my 2 year old granddaughter! 🙂

[mariommendozajr.]

I am 80 years old. I used to run as exercise. Two years ago my former doctor advice me not to run because of my age to avoid injury. Walking is good enough he said. At first I followed him but I was bored by just walking. So, I run again and no knee pain happen. It has been 2 years now.

[edm]

Great advice, I Walk backwards on an incline, that helped my knee tremendously. Stay strong folks ✌🏽

[drbeaverhausen]

Exercise 2: Left leg did just fine. Right leg instantly cramped. I'm digging the exercises as a whole. Thank you for making these videos.

[plumeria]

I am 55 and a decade ago I accidentally fell on my right knee causing a knee contusion. I could not walk for a long time and did not get physical therapy right away. Muscles on both knees atrophied and my left knee started hurting too. I finally went to physical therapy and did all the exercises at home three times a day. Eventually I could walk and climb stairs without pain. I stopped the knee exercises, and the pain returned. The muscles still needed work and atrophied quickly. So I went back to physical therapy and did the whole thing again. This time, I kept up with the exercises even if I felt no pain.

So now, even though I walk regularly, do slow jogging, and climb stairs, I still do the knee exercises. They keep my muscles built as I age. Muscles atrophy quickly as we age and for me, walking alone does not do the trick. The knee accident was a blessing in disguise because I know exactly how to build them up without having to go back to the physical therapist.

[EllaBirt]

You are seriously THE BEST. My favorite parts of the video are your personality, the accessibility of the exercises, the pacing of your words, the details on how to proceed / schedule these exercises to build strength without injury. Really great! Thank you.

[michael-ltlf]

I have been following your exercises and found them so effective. My goal? To be able to do a proper Asian Squat and hold it comfortably in that position. I can get down (reasonably well) I'm 76 and 90K but more work needed to get up to a standing position. I would never have believed I could have regained this much flexibility and range of motion in my joints in such a short time. Thank you.

[jmckenzie]

Am so grateful for this channel …I am 63 and your advice is helping me to overcome ongoing issues with my knees. Thank you.