Prevention of your O-legs Knee joint disease due to poor posture and lack of sunlight

Not a few people have O-legs with a gap between their knees. If the lower half of the body is affected and knee joints are affected, walking may be difficult. Treatment is difficult if the joints and bones are deformed, so early prevention is important.

Will both knees stick together when standing in heels in a "careful" position?　If there is a gap between both knees, it is an O leg. Medically, it is called "naval knee", and it is called an "O" leg because its silhouette is in the shape of a Roman letter "O".

When it becomes an O-leg, the weight on both legs is biased toward the inside, and the pelvis and ankle are more likely to be twisted. As a result, “the waist, knees, and ankles are easily damaged, and hallux valgus and ingrown nails are more likely to occur,” said Akihisa Kawahara, director of the Nishi Shinjuku Orthopedic Clinic (Shinjuku, Tokyo).

The biggest problem is the increased risk of getting knee osteoarthritis. It is a disease in which weight is applied to the inside of the knee joint, the cartilage is worn away, and the joint deforms, causing pain when walking. Most of the factors are O-legs, which increase after the 50s. In 80s, 50% of men and 80% of women get sick. According to Yoshiaki Ishishima, Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, "People who have a knee pain when sitting down are more likely to have osteoarthritis of the knee."

It is difficult to restore the O leg because the joint is deformed and the bone of the leg is bent. In order to walk forever and comfortably, it is important to prevent the person from becoming an O-leg as much as possible and prevent the person from progressing.

One of the causes of becoming an O-leg is poor posture. “If you sit on your back, sit sideways, and always cross your legs, the weight of your legs will be unbalanced and your pelvis and hips will be distorted.” (Director Kawahara)

First of all, keep in mind the right attitude. If the pelvis leans forward, it tends to become an O-leg. If desk work continues, it becomes prone to stooping, leading to anteversion of the pelvis. Be careful not to curl your back while you work, and try to leave your seat once an hour.

wine school

The heavier the weight, the greater the burden on the knee joint. Obesity is directly linked to lifestyle-related diseases, so those who are aware of it need a diet.

Also, if vitamin D is not enough, the bones will be easily bent. Vitamin D is abundant in fish and dairy products and can be synthesized by exposure to sunlight. However, "there are many women who are deficient in vitamin D because they avoid excessive sunlight" (Associate Professor Ishijima).

Lack of vitamin D weakens the bones and makes it more prone to osteoporosis in addition to the O-leg, increasing the risk of cancer and myocardial infarction. Try to get some sun exposure, and people who are anxious about sunburn should eat plenty of vitamin D-rich foods.

Since weak muscles increase the burden on joints, strength training of the lower body also helps prevent O-legs. Squats are effective exercises, but be careful as your knees are more likely to hurt when you sunk and your knees are in front of your toes.

A study of about 1,700 patients with knee osteoarthritis at Northwestern University for four years found that "exercising moderate to high intensity exercise for over an hour per week" reduced the risk of walking problems by 86%. ..

The outside of the shoe wears off when it becomes an O-leg, but the O-leg becomes even worse when wearing shoes that have worn out. You should not wear the same shoes for a long time. "Sokiteban" is also available on the market with the outside of the insole raised for O legs.

People with O-legs are prone to osteoarthritis of the knee, so if you feel pain in your knee, go to an orthopedic clinic early. Surgery may be advisable if the meniscus is damaged, but "you should not remove the meniscus as it loses its cushion," Ishishima notes.