If you have access to a swimming pool or other safe body of water, here’s an idea:

Get into the water and move.

If you don’t swim (I don’t) then wear a grown-up floatie (I do.)  That way you can go into the deeper water and move your legs in all different directions.

Or hold onto the edge of the pool and kick your legs as though you are swimming.  Let your knees bend slightly.

Try it with your feet flopping like a fish or hold them bent.  See what works best for you.

You might hear some clunking or cracking–that’s your bones moving back into their correct location (where they used to be.)  Or maybe it’s ligaments and tendons getting used to moving again.

How long will it take until your knees start to feel better?

Well, it took a while for them to get unhappy but I’ll bet you will start to feel benefit in just a couple of weeks of daily pool movements.

That might sound like a long time but what’s the alternative?  Drugs don’t cure pain; they mask it.  Surgery?  Sometimes it’s necessary but sometimes you can be your own natural surgeon by getting your muscles back into balance. 

Why did you get the pain in your knees in the first place?

We have over 600 muscles and they like to be used.  (That’s why we have them.)  Sometimes our muscles get ‘out of balance.’  We use some but not others.  Then they start to cause pain in the joints that the muscles cross over.

Sometimes we actually have joint pain but most often the pain we feel is from the muscles.

I knew an attorney who had no cushioning left in his knees from a couple of different accidents.  But as long as he did exercises to keep his leg muscles (especially the thighs) strong, he had no problems even walking on the stairs.

Sometimes people say it hurts too much to move but when you are in the water it’s much easier.  The water supports you.  It massages you.

Don’t like the water or want to get wet?  Here’s the link to another article that can help you get happier knees:

http://www.simplestrengthening.com/2009/01/10/get-strong-legs-on-your-stairs-how-to-use-your-legs-walking-on-stairs/

So, to wrap it up, I’m not a doctor but a swimming pool or lake can be a wonderful, natural tool to help you get rid of your knee pain naturally.

Your legs were designed to be used in certain ways.  But, lots of times, for all kinds of reasons, we “forget” how we used to climb stairs.  Sometimes, we just “clomp” along, with flat feet.  We “pull” ourselves up, using the handrail.

Sometimes we make our poor knees do all of the work.  Uh oh, not good.

If you learn how to use your legs as they were designed to be used, they will become stronger and feel better.

By the way, if you cannot do this because you have too much knee pain, here are a few tips just for you.

1)  Walk down the stairs backward, while you hold the hand rail.  This uses different leg muscles and might make going down stairs much easier for you.

(2)  Begin a walking program.  Walking properly will strengthen your legs.  Check this article about walking for knee pain.

(3)  Keep reading, because simply knowing the proper way to use your legs and feet might help you immensely!

All you need for getting stronger legs by climbing stairs is…a staircase!  And, your willingness to try.

Here is the technique.

Place one foot on a stair, but don’t pull yourself up with handrail, and don’t lift your body with your knees, and don’t let your feet be flat boards.  There, we got all the “don’ts” out of the way.

Here are the DO’s.

(1)  Do use your feet to raise your body.

(2)  When your foot is on a step, raise your heel.

(3)  Feel your calf muscles work.

Now, only your toe is supporting you on the stair.

If you have to use the handrail or wall for support that’s okay.  But, no pulling yourself on allowed.

(4)  Take a step to the next stair and repeat.  Use your calf muscles and feet to lift yourself up the stairs.

When you use your calves and feet, as they were designed to be used, there is much less stress on your knees.  You will have less leg and knee pain.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

“Because You Deserve to Feel Better!”