With the holiday season upon us, it’s important to look after one’s mental health and emotional well-being. While the season typically includes family and social gatherings, holidays can also be stressful, and trigger feelings of grief, loneliness and depression. Consider some of these steps to help support your emotional health and find joy during the holidays and beyond.
Telemedicine facilitates medical professionals in providing medical care to patients outside of the traditional office setting by using modern technology. “Telemedicine” and “telehealth” are often used interchangeably. However, telehealth specifically describes the electronic and communications technologies being used to provide services remotely. Telemedicine can be viewed as the professional medical consultations you may receive remotely or outside of the clinical office.
In Hawai‘i, everyone loves to spoil their loved ones with sweet treats during the holidays. It’s okay to indulge in a treat or two, but don’t forget the toll it takes on your teeth and gums. Here are some oral health tips when eating common holiday sweets.
Quit feeling guilty over your morning cup(s) of joe. Research shows that coffee can help prevent dementia, improve cardiovascular health and increase lifespan. Coffee can help seniors maintain a healthy lifestyle. That is the conclusion of a plethora of studies on the steamy liquid that is synonymous with waking up for many Americans over 60.
If you’re watching your sugar intake, but need to satisfy a sweet tooth, using a sugar substitute can be less harmful to your teeth and body. Here’s a breakdown of substitutes and how they can affect your oral and overall health.
Lemonade, iced tea, smoothies and juices all sound delicious during hot summer days. But beware of the sugar content, especially if you’re drinking more than one glass a day. You probably already guessed that the most important drink is water! It’s good for your body and teeth.
Work-from-home “virtual” employees must take precautions in order to preserve the health of their eyes. Computer vision syndrome (CVS) isn’t a specific set of symptoms — it’s an umbrella term to describe the varying eye discomfort and symptoms caused by screen-related issues. It is almost impossible to avoid progressive vision issues with regular computer use.
Diabetes disproportionately affects older adults. Approximately 25 percent of Americans over the age of 60 years have diabetes. The aging of the US population is widely acknowledged as one of the drivers of the diabetes epidemic. Although the burden of diabetes is often described in terms of its impact on working-aged adults, the disease also affects longevity, functional status and risk of institutionalization for older patients.
Poor oral health can affect overall physical health at any age. Without treatment, poor oral health can lead to pain, infection, malnutrition and even serious illnesses. Therefore, it’s important to incorporate good oral health habits into all stages of life.
As we age, it may become more difficult to get a full night’s rest. This is caused by many things: changes in your body’s internal clock, spending less time outdoors or moving and a decrease in the hormones that help aid in sleep. It is a common misconception that we need less sleep as we get older. Sleep is still very important.
Here in Hawai‘i, we’re lucky to live on beautiful islands with multigenerational families in multicultural communities. We have city life, country life, sunshine every day and some of the best food in the world. But our lifestyle, diet and even our genes can put us at risk for cancer. Yes, even here in paradise.
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and it’s the time of year to remind seniors and loved ones to visit the dentist. Did you know a routine visit to the dentist also includes a screening for oral cancer? While they look for signs of decay (cavities) and gum disease, they’re looking for typical warning signs of cancer in the mouth.
Although glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, the most common presentation of glaucoma often has no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. When glaucoma develops, vision loss progresses so gradually that the people affected are often unaware of it until their sight has already been compromised.
When people think about substance abuse and addiction, they often imagine young adults. While it’s true teenagers are at a higher risk for substance abuse as a group, research done on the elderly population is lacking. Despite the lack of research, it’s widely believed that substance abuse and addiction in the elderly is a hidden epidemic.
It has long been established that consistently wearing a proper-fitting mask over your nose and mouth is critical in preventing the spread of COVID-19. In January, nearly two years into the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its mask recommendations, because as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus changes and mutates, producing a bounty of variants, we must adapt.
Most people visit the doctor only a few times a year, so it’s important to get the most out of each appointment. The more information you share, the better your doctor can take care of you.
Hawai‘i’s sandwich generation is confronted with both unique challenges and great opportunities as baby boomers care for their elderly parents, while also supporting their adult children and grandchildren. Multi-generational homes are very common in Hawai‘i.
A common misconception is that massage is a luxury. Massage is becoming recognized as complementary medicine, along with other modalities, such as chiropractic care and acupuncture. An increasing amount of research is being conducted that demonstrates the scientific and medical benefits of massage.
Why is it important that seniors continue to work on their fitness? It’s always important to remain active to stay healthy and strong. Regular exercise is also great for brain health, boosting mood and energy, and speeding up recovery from an injury or illness. “Use it or lose it” applies to balance skills, agility, muscle strength and stamina.
Do you ever feel faint or lose your balance? Are your legs unsteady or seem like they’ll give way? Would you feel safer using a walker or cane? If you answered yes to any of these questions, talk to your doctor about preventing falls that can lead to serious injury. Meanwhile, consider these other ways you can help fall-proof your life.
Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, is a disease of the brain that leads to loss of memory and function due to damaged and dying brain cells. The early symptoms include forgetfulness, lack of focus, trouble with decision-making, confusion and poor judgement.
Mention posture and everyone sits or stands straighter. But are you truly aligned? Most people have some type of asymmetry and don’t even know it. It’s impossible to correct an imbalance you aren’t aware of. Properly aligned spine and joints, and functionally balanced muscles allow your body to move with optimum efficiency and minimize the risk of injury or permanent structural damage. Achieving this state requires self-awareness.
Your oral health directly impacts your overall health, which is why seeing a dentist is just as important as seeing your primary care physician. Your dentist can determine if you will come across issues such as gum disease, which may impact your quality of life and even raise your risk for systemic disease in your later years.
Change continues at each phase of life and is not always easy. That is why changes like retirement, new living arrangements, health diagnoses, and the loss of close friends or a spouse can leave kūpuna feeling vulnerable and insecure. Whether you are in a season of change or helping an older loved one navigate new circumstances, there are practical steps you can take to make change a positive process.
Arthritis can be a painful condition that comes with aging. Those who have rheumatoid arthritis may have an even harder time staying on top of their oral hygiene routine due to inflammation in the joints and knuckles. Simple movements such as holding a toothbrush and floss may make it difficult to clean teeth and gums in various areas of the mouth.
Do you often experience pain, numbness or tingling in your feet? Have you noticed that your balance has been affected over the past few years? Are you diabetic or prediabetic? You may be experiencing peripheral neuropathy.
If you spend your working day behind a computer screen, you are at risk of experiencing digital eye strain, or Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Symptoms of this include dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain.
Does your mouth often feel dry and uncomfortable? Does it make eating, speaking or swallowing difficult? Dry mouth can cause oral health issues that can affect your smile and overall quality of life.
Imagine being suddenly weak or paralyzed, unable to move your leg, arm, see normally or feel your face. These are some of the symptoms of a stroke — 911 should be called immediately!
Since 1995, the Aloha Medical Mission (AMM) Dental Clinic has provided basic dental care at no cost for adults who are unable to afford it. AMM Dental Clinic is a secular, nonprofit organization supported by government grants, independent donors and private foundations.
When building a house, having a solid foundation is key to its stability. The feet and ankles are the foundations for your body, and are critical for stability and balance while standing and walking. Yet how often do we think of exercising these muscles to keep them strong and flexible.
Hearing aid wearers know the difficulty of getting the elastic bands of their protective face mask tangled up with their hearing aid. Hearing aids can fly out when removing a mask. I have seen many patients with lost and damaged hearing aids due to this problem. Here are seven tips that will help protect your hearing aids and stop you from losing them.
Chronic bad breath can be embarrassing, but it can also tell you what’s going on with your mouth or body, such as underlying medical conditions, stress, hormonal changes, dry mouth and poor oral hygiene. Bad breath can be caused by a few things: bacteria, decaying food, infected gums, smoking and even an empty stomach.
Seniors are less likely to attend community fitness classes and participate in face-to-face networking due to social distancing mandates put in place for our safety during the pandemic.
Enter virtual training!
With aging comes new challenges; our eyesight is no exception. One in six Americans aged 65 and older has a vision impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses alone. It’s important to see your ophthalmologist every one to two years in order to check for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Early detection and treatment are imperative to prevent vision loss.
Over the past two decades, successful therapeutic cardiovascular disease strategies have focused primarily on lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) with statins, and reducing the risk of the blood clots that cause heart attacks or strokes with “blood thinners” such as aspirin. Blood pressure medications are also widely used. Despite these interventions, a significant number of patients experience recurrent events or disease progression.
Grandparents play an important role in raising children, especially in Hawai‘i, with changing family patterns and dual-worker households. And while it’s acceptable for grandparents to treat their grandchildren to sweets, they are also expected to show them the importance of good oral health and a healthy diet.
Two-time stroke survivor June struggled with her balance. She felt unsteady, even when holding onto something. She was very worried about falling… until she discovered specialized walking poles.
Nowadays, in-home physical therapy is more important than ever. Seniors must find creative ways in their own home area to continue exercising for mobility and strength. Walking is still a popular and convenient way to exercise. To add intensity, you can walk briskly for one minute followed by one minute at a regular pace, then repeat for 10 minutes or more. Using a kitchen counter or back of a chair, you can do a number of standing leg exercises for 10 minutes each, repeated twice:
When should you get tested for COVID-19? Which of the three main types of tests for COVID-19 will you be given?
Sarcopenia is age-related loss in muscle mass. Although muscle mass declines 1 to 2 percent per year after age 50, exercise can reduce this loss. Resistance training using bodyweight, machines or weights is the most effective way of building muscle. Sarcopenia makes exercising more difficult, which unfortunately, makes you want to exercise less, contributing even less stimulation of your muscles, leading to more muscle loss.
Lewy body disease includes two types of dementia — Lewy body dementia (LBD) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). Parkinson’s starts with an abnormal accumulation of alpha synuclein protein that is found mainly at the tips of neurons in specialized structures called “presynaptic terminals” in different parts of the brain. LBD precedes a Parkinson’s diagnosis, while PDD develops after the changes of Parkinson’s have occurred. Currently, 1.4 million people in the US are coping with LBD.
Making healthy dietary choices can help you feel your best and stay active. It can also help you lower your risk of developing some health conditions that are common among older adults. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a tool to help you make informed food choices that can have positive effects on your health and wellness. It is called the Nutrition Facts label and you can find it on packaged foods and beverages.
Early in my dental career, I was the dental advisor for elder care facilities in Honolulu. The most challenging tasks were demonstrations on dental care. Some patients were extraordinarily combative!
When medications are not properly administered, the result can be harmful — even fatal. Research indicates there is a vital need for people to manage their medications to avoid adverse drug reactions. This is especially true for our kūpuna.
Most caregivers know good oral health is important at every age and is a clear indication of their patient’s overall health. Some things caregivers should look for are signs of change in the patient’s mouth. Has there been recent tooth loss, discoloration or dryness? Often, seniors may experience those conditions, which affects how they digest their food or indicates other health problems.
The holiday season is a time of joy, but for many, it’s a challenging time as well. When the body holds too much tension and emotional energy, it can affect the immune system, making a person more prone to illness, as well as depression. And while we all want to enjoy this time, if we’re not proactive in taking care of ourselves, we may not feel like celebrating.
Chronic pain is a serious problem for many of us, including combat veterans and soldiers. Unfortunately, pain medications, including opioids, often have limited efficacy and may impose adverse effects.
This has been a tough year. Our lives have been disrupted at the least and dramatically changed at the worst by COVID-19. The effects are far-reaching and life-changing for us all — especially for our kūpuna. For those with hearing problems, it’s even more difficult to understand conversation when the speaker is wearing a mask.
Each year, one in four seniors suffers a fall, leading to injuries and emergency room visits. Although they are preventable, falls can lead to a loss of independence.
Forty years ago, medical exercise specialists Debbie and Norm Compton met in Hawai‘i and made fitness the key element in both their personal and professional lives. Personal training, stunt work, injuries and their continual quest for excellence compelled them to write Stacking: Your Skeletal Blueprint for Posture. In their book, the Comptons share techniques for regaining posture as you age.
I love sugar! Sugar makes desserts, candies and drinks taste wonderful! The bacteria in our mouth love sugar, too. Eating foods that contains sugar instantly activates bacteria for 20 minutes. As bacteria devour the sugar, their waste is acid. Acid is one of the few things that can destroy your enamel and may contribute to dementia.
Seniors are less likely to attend community fitness classes and participate in face-to-face networking due to social distancing mandates put in place for our safety during the pandemic.
Enter virtual training!
It’s no secret that poor oral health can lead to many overall health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes and other ailments. But studies show poor oral health may also lead to an increased risk of dementia. People who have gum disease for 10 years or more are 70 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who have healthy gums.
According to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, chronic heart disease factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity can quicken the pace of cognitive decline.
High blood pressure and diabetes can accelerate shrinkage of the brain, especially affecting the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus. When combined with other cardio risk factors, the rate at which cognitive decline advances, leading to dementia and Alzheimer’s.
One would expect that an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) would be pharmacological. And yet, 99 percent of AD drug trials fail. The last time the FDA approved an AD drug was 2003. Acupuncturists might focus on neuroregeneration using neuroacupuncture. In a similar fashion, a new modality — photobiomodulation (PBM) — has been building its case as a credible treatment alternative for AD. Rather than targeting a single biological mechanism, it helps the brain repair itself.
Joseph Pilates truly was ahead of his time with his holistic approach to exercise. “Contrology [now called ‘Pilates’] is designed to give you suppleness, natural grace and skill that will be unmistakably reflected in the way you walk, in the way you play and in the way you work,” Pilates said. “You will develop muscular power with corresponding endurance, ability to perform arduous duties, to play strenuous games,to walk, run or travel for long distances without undue body fatigue or mental strain.”
Last month, we emphasized the importance of exercise to combat the natural aging process. Specifically, exercises like Pilates, Tai Chi and Yoga provide coordinated full body workouts with an emphasis on core muscle strengthening, balance and fluidness of movements. But what if you have pain in your knees or back making even simple movements like walking difficult?
Osteoporosis (porous bones) is a bone disease that involves thinning of the bone tissue and loss of bone density over time. This weakens the bones and increases a person’s risk for fracture. Women are four times more likely to have osteoporosis as compared to men.
Have you ever instinctively held your forehead or temples when you’ve had a headache? Everyone at one time or another has used their hands to hold tense or painful places on the body. This is the healing touch of acupressure. Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing art that uses the fingers to press key pressure point to release muscular tension and promote blood circulation and the body’s natural healing abilities.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States today. Sadly, more than half of people affected by glaucoma are not aware they have it. Symptoms develop slowly over time, so most people who have glaucoma don’t notice changes in their vision until it’s too late.
Growing older is inevitable but the rapid physical deterioration we call “aging” does not have to be. In fact, the aging process can be slowed down or in some cases reversed with a consistent exercise program. Numerous studies show adults who make regular exercise a part of their lifestyle are biologically younger by almost 10 years than those who do not exercise.
The 2010 National Institutes of Health consensus and state-of-the-science statement revealed preliminary evidence that suggests beneficial associations between physical and leisure activity in reducing the risk of cognitive decline in seniors.
It’s the holiday season, meaning most of us will be out and about more often than usual. Shopping malls, restaurants, parties, church services— wherever we are, it’s a good idea to remember that crowds provide the perfect environment for influenza viruses (the flu) to spread by coughs and sneezes.
In Hawaii, we live an average of 81 years— longer than almost anywhere else in the world. But when it comes to successful aging, the key is to not only live longer, but to live longer as a healthy individual. The way to better health is taking care of ourselves as we age, which helps prevent the decline of our physical and mental abilities. And although any doctor would agree with that, the health care industry has traditionally emphasized treatment over prevention.
The objective at Club 50 Fitness is simple and direct: to improve the lives of people who are 40 years of age and above with fitness training and overall good health. As many Club 50 members will tell you, exercise is medicine! Just ask Rose, who says that exercise has been the best thing for her mentally and physically. “The days I’m tired or stressed, I have learned to let it go with exercising. I feel so much better after I leave,” she says. “I have maintained my weight for four years by just exercising. Everyone here is friendly, including the staff.”
Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Blood pressure readings include two numbers, such as 120/80 (say “120 over 80”). The first number is the systolic pressure. This is the force of blood on the artery walls as the heart pumps. The second number is the diastolic pressure. This is the force of blood on the artery walls between heartbeats, when the heart is at rest.
Hearing loss can have a huge impact on your overall health and well-being. It is just as important to take care of your hearing health as the rest of your body. Studies link untreated hearing loss to both depression and mental decline.
Exercise is the closest thing to a complete remedy — a panacea — for heart disease. The heart fuels the entire body. If the heart gets too weak, it cannot sufficiently provide nutrients to organs and the body slowly deteriorates. Unfortunately, this is quite common for people in hospice care. Thankfully, prevention is readily available.
Hopefully, the COVID-19 virus is now under control and life is back to normal. Regardless, one of the lessons we learned through this pandemic is better personal hygiene. Dentists were asked to help contain the spread if the virus by limiting their care to only emergency visits. The main concern was patients spreading it to each other while in the office. Just as concerning was the direct exposure of the virus to dentists and their staff — and possible spread to their families.
If you have ever forgotten why you walked into a room or you find yourself making small mistakes, you’ve probably chalked it up to an aging brain. Age is only a minor contributor to this condition. The main factor is how you utilize your brain. Learn how to guide your brain instead of following or trying to catch up to it and you’ll find you not only recall things easier, you’ll enjoy the moment more and feel better overall.
Due to the novel coronavirus, gyms and fitness studios closed, and many classes are completely canceled or available online only. Now, it is more critical than ever to improve your fitness to fight off COVID-19, as well as the common cold and flu.
Hawaii Dental Service (HDS) is sharing oral health tips seniors can practice every day to help limit the spread of harmful viruses.
In direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare announced the temporary expansions of telehealth services. Even after the pandemic ends, telehealth is here to stay. Telehealth is the virtual visit between doctors and patients using phones and computers, which enables medical care in the comfort of your home.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans — more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. AMD is the deterioration of the macula, the small central area of the retina that controls visual acuity.
Core training is one of the most popular concepts in the field of fitness and physical therapy. Core stability training is often associated with strengthening your abdominal muscles — the “abs.” The ab muscles play a very important role, but the core also includes multiple muscles in he mid-lower back, pelvic floor, hips and buttocks. This ring of muscles, or the “internal belt,” holds us up during the day, reducing falls, decreasing back pain and improving posture and even bladder control.
Hearing loss is one of the most common health issues for seniors. The good news is that modern hearing aids are very effective in correcting hearing loss. Be aware that not all hearing aids are the same and not all providers are equal. Here are some tips that will ensure that you or a loved one get the best results when buying a hearing aid.
With so many different virus strains circulating, a flu shot is not the only defense for staying healthy. Preventative measures are the key to keeping illness at bay and avoiding giving the unwanted gift that keeps on giving. By being proactive and having a plan, you can raise the odds of staying flu-free.
Persons over 55 with chronic diseases can die from the flu and COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. These diseases enter your lungs through your eyes, nose or mouth. Most people pick up viruses left on surfaces by infected persons. Flu bugs can live on surfaces, clothing and towels for up to two weeks! Since we touch our faces up to 90 times a day, breaking that habit will help keep us healthy.
It is part of our practice to ensure our patients drink ample water during a physical therapy session. The fact that water counts for 95 percent of the brain, 82 percent of blood and 73 percent of muscle tissue explains how important it is to be hydrated. Dehydration can pose serious health problems for older adults, especially with Hawai‘i’s hot, humid weather. Dehydration symptoms that increase fall risk are dizziness, weakness, fatigue, confusion and low blood pressure.
More than 50,000 Americans die each year from colorectal cancer. The heartbreaking thing is that most of these deaths could have — and should have — been prevented. Screening is the No.1 way you can reduce your risk of colon cancer. If found early, colon cancer is one of the most treatable forms of the disease.
The popularity of the foam roller has been growing so steadily in the world of fitness that it is often used as a cure-all for many different conditions. It is a great tool for increasing mobility of the spine and soft tissue if used correctly. If it’s not used the right way, you could be doing more harm than good.
There are many ways of honing your mental sharpness and helping your brain stay healthy. You could work on jigsaw puzzles, listen or play music, learn a new language, use your non-dominant hand or even socialize. Doctors often use specific neurological exams to assess the integrity of the central nervous system. One could take these same neurological exams and use them to exercise or to rehabilitate specific areas of the brain.
As Time Magazine put it in its 2004 cover story, “Inflammation is the body’s first defense against infection, but when it goes awry, it can lead to heart attacks, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s and a host of other diseases.” Understanding and managing inflammation is key to health and longevity.
The field of dental implants is one of the fastest growing areas in dentistry. In 2019, over 3 million implants were placed in the United States and that number is predicted to grow in 2020. Dental implants are very popular due to the high success rate of the procedure (over 90 percent) and the results of these implants are very beneficial.
Hawai‘i may not have snowy winters, but we still experience a seasonal increase in cold and flu infections. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones survive the season.
A healthy smile should last well into your retirement years. Many believe it’s natural for teeth to deteriorate as they age, but it’s possible to maintain healthy teeth and gums for life. Consider these tips to keep your smile healthy…
February, the month that includes Valentine’s Day, is also American Heart Month, reminding us to take care of our hearts. “Heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause a heart attack.
One of the most common causes of injuries in the elderly is due to falling backward. This type of fall can lead to serious injuries to the hips, spine, head, arm and/or wrists, depending on how someone lands. Ultimately, the best way to avoid serious injury is to prevent the fall from ever happening.
Many people who suffer from a stroke lose hope and resign themselves to their “new normal.” But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some important recovery ideas. Heal the brain, heal the body. When the brain is deprived of oxygen-rich blood during a stroke, it leads to brain damage. Although this damage cannot be reversed, it is possible to train other parts of the brain to take over specific tasks.
Is more exercise on your list this year? Was it on last year and the previous years’ as well? Don’t feel bad — exercise holds the No. 1 spot in U.S. surveys as a resolution to be made and broken. So how can you make this year’s intention a success?
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common types of conditions primary care providers encounter in the United States. It is also the most common infectious cause of death. CAP accounts for nearly 4.5 million doctor visits annually and is the second most common cause of hospitalizations.
Chronological age does not always reflect the biological age of a person. One way to look and feel much younger than your driver’s license reveals is to stay mentally, socially and physically active. Functional mobility keeps seniors strong, active and independent for as long as possible.
Golf is a popular sports activity. Unlike most sports, it can be played throughout the golden years, if you can stay in shape and avoid injury. The American Physical Therapy Association says that older golfers often forget that while their passion for the game remains high, their bodies have aged. As we age, we lose flexibility, muscle mass and strength. Because the golf swing’s extreme bending and twisting movements are not natural for the body, senior golfers are at a greater risk of injury.
Most people only visit the doctor a few times a year, so it’s important to make the most of your appointment. The more information you share with your physician, the better he or she can take care of you.
We now know that vaping kills. And it can kill faster than tobacco.
If you have developed a fear of falling as you have aged, you may want to consider using an assistive device . A physical therapist can test and fit you with the proper type — or you may be able to decide what is best for you by reading these tips and recognizing signs:
Tai chi is a great way to incorporate strength, movement and breathing, aligning your mind, body and spirit while helping the body heal itself.
About 50 to 70 million people in the U.S. are chronic sleep apnea sufferers; more than 85 percent of them are undiagnosed. The Mayo Clinic defines sleep apnea as a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Sleep apnea sufferers may snore loudly and feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep.
The majority of patients who come into my office do not realize they lock or hyper-extend their knees while standing or walking. They often do this out of habit or because of weakness. Generally, locking your knees transfers stress from supporting muscles to the knee joint, compressing it. The result is decreased mobility and blood flow and increased friction that can lead to pain or wearing away of the joint.
