Five Professions That May Be Harmful to Your Knees

The reason why you are suffering from knee pain could be the very thing that helps you put food on your table and pay your bills—your job. If you have an occupation that requires repetitive knee movements or constant bending, carrying of heavy loads, squatting, and/or standing all day, you may be at risk of either sustaining an overuse injury or developing wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis).

Below is a roundup of the five professions that involve movements that may cause knee pain. Let’s check them out and see what you can do to keep your knees in tip-top condition:

Construction Jobs

Construction jobs typically involve heavy lifting, standing, kneeling, and squatting. If you are a bricklayer, carpenter, floor installer, or roofer, you have roughly three times the risk of knee osteoarthritis.

While it is impossible to eliminate many of the movements associated with your job, you can still prevent knee pain by taking breaks, sitting, walking, and stretching. It proves prudent to also wear appropriate protective equipment, such as knee pads, which can relieve pressure off your knees.

Athletics

Contact sports and those that require repetitive movements—such as basketball, tennis, and cycling—pose a risk of knee injuries, which can cause debilitating pain and dash your hopes of achieving your full athletic potential.

Fortunately, preventing knee pain is relatively straightforward. You simply need to prepare your knees for rigorous activities by building a habit of doing proper warmups and cool-down exercises. A sports medicine doctor can educate you on how to best prevent knee injuries.

Healthcare Jobs

People in the healthcare industry—particularly nurses and paramedics—often have to carry or half-carry heavy loads: patients. Statistics show that knee pain is prevalent in 25 to 30 percent of nursing personnel.

Fortunately, the healthcare industry has recommended significant prevention and coping strategies to reduce the rate of occupational hazards as well as promote efficiency in patient care. 

Automotive Mechanic Jobs

Prolonged standing, lifting heavy tools, and lowering machinery may seem innocuous, but they can increase your risk of a knee injury or arthritis.

Do a few warmup exercises before you start work in the morning or take short breaks to sit down or get your body moving in a different way. These can help you avoid knee injuries or prevent any condition that can pose a threat to your knee’s normal function.

Dance Jobs

While dancing involves beneficial exercise and encourages excellent body mechanics, it also pounds your knees, ankles, and feet.

If you’re making a living as a dancer, the best way to prevent injuries is to do some stretching exercises and strength-train twice or thrice a week. Exercises like hamstring curls, knee extensions, and leg presses help promote flexibility and strengthen the muscles that support your knee.

Knee Pain Treatment in Central Maryland

Whether you’re seeking treatment for a knee condition or simply want to lower your risk thereof while on the job, partner with one of our orthopedic specialists at Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland.  We have highly skilled orthopedic doctors—some of whom specialize in sports medicine—who do not only treat a vast variety of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries but also help our patients prevent them.

To schedule a consultation, contact one of our five locations at (410) 644-1880.  You may also use our online form to request an appointment.