Cycling, swimming work for healthy knee muscles

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A modified lifestyle that includes cycling and swimming shall keep the knees healthy, according to a consultant orthopaedic surgeon with over 36 years of experience in knee replacement procedures.

“Our knees absorb pressure with each step. Over time, the muscles and ligaments get weaker, and the cartilage can deteriorate. The knees experience wear-and-tear throughout the years, contributing to knee problems like osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition,” said Dr. Samih Tarabichi.

He added: “Excess body weight can also increase your risk of osteoarthritis. Maintaining the recommended weight, strengthening upper and lower leg muscles, and opting for low-impact exercises like cycling and swimming can help protect the knees.”

For athletes and gym afficionadoes, Tarabichi said: “Some sport like football, basketball and running have an increased risk of knee injury due to sudden, harsh movements. Stretching before and after working out or playing will go a long way in preventing knee injuries. A combination of dynamic stretches, running drills, strength training, core strength exercise and plyometrics are effective in preventing injuries.”

In another interview, Al Futtaim Health-Health Hub Clinics physiotherapist John Apuyan said: “Most of the time, massage only helps knee injuries in very little way. It only helps in altering the pain temporarily or reduce the superficial swelling.”

“Exercises and often surgery, if the injury were severe, is needed to properly treat knee injuries,” he continued.

Both were consulted regarding healthy knees as the right knee woes of a 69-year-old chief executive officer of a Dubai-based company were recently answered. A cruciate-retaining custom-made implant, said to be the “first-in-the-region on a US citizen,” was decided on, as the best solution.

Mohammad Shafiq said: “As an international businessman, I travel around the world a lot. The pain had started affecting my work. My knee pain created problems. It became unbearable.”

Tarabichi who was also responsible for the left knee replacement surgery on Shafiq in 2011, performed the surgery at the Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (Dubai). The decision for the cruciate-retaining custom-made implant - the dimensions of which were sent to its manufacturer in Switzerland - was reached since the x-ray had revealed “an unusually large-sized bone that most implants available on the market would not cover.”