Isn’t normal? Maybe if you never injured them doing things. Knee problems are extremely common, human knees are poorly evolved and prone to injury just by being used.
Backpacking, skiing, horse riding wrecked mine long ago. Now I just try to keep the surrounding muscles fit to hold all the loose shit together.
If your knees are screwed up from “just turning 30”, then that indicates an expectation that you don’t need injuries to have bad knees.
Repetitive impact injury can screw things up, but the vast majority of people bemoaning their old age joints especially in their 30s are not exercising enough and/or are obese.
Whatever the case, bring it up to your doctor, didn’t assume changes like this are just normal/expected.
The knees are remarkably hard-wearing joints, capable of a lifetime of sustained use. It’s a common myth that they have some finite mileage that can be “used up.”
Overtraining can put them out of order temporarily, and yes some severe injuries can prevent full recovery, but knees can bounce back from almost anything with rest and continued use, even in old age.
It’s true that knee problems are common today, moreso than ever before. But the increased prevalence tracks closely with the rise of sedentary lifestyles (i.e., infrequent use) and excess weight (i.e., transient overload).
The good news is that knees can recover from this too! The tried and true strategy is just regular use that starts small and gradually increases over time. For example, regular low-intensity walking and cycling (especially alternating both) has been shown to quickly increase knee strength and reduce knee pain significantly.
As to how quickly you can progress, your knees will tell you. Discomfort is usually OK, but pain means you’re pushing too hard. Sharp pain means stop immediately, rest, and take it easier next time. Feel free to DM me if you want someone to train with.
Isn’t normal? Maybe if you never injured them doing things. Knee problems are extremely common, human knees are poorly evolved and prone to injury just by being used.
Backpacking, skiing, horse riding wrecked mine long ago. Now I just try to keep the surrounding muscles fit to hold all the loose shit together.
If your knees are screwed up from “just turning 30”, then that indicates an expectation that you don’t need injuries to have bad knees.
Repetitive impact injury can screw things up, but the vast majority of people bemoaning their old age joints especially in their 30s are not exercising enough and/or are obese.
Whatever the case, bring it up to your doctor, didn’t assume changes like this are just normal/expected.
The knees are remarkably hard-wearing joints, capable of a lifetime of sustained use. It’s a common myth that they have some finite mileage that can be “used up.”
Overtraining can put them out of order temporarily, and yes some severe injuries can prevent full recovery, but knees can bounce back from almost anything with rest and continued use, even in old age.
It’s true that knee problems are common today, moreso than ever before. But the increased prevalence tracks closely with the rise of sedentary lifestyles (i.e., infrequent use) and excess weight (i.e., transient overload).
The good news is that knees can recover from this too! The tried and true strategy is just regular use that starts small and gradually increases over time. For example, regular low-intensity walking and cycling (especially alternating both) has been shown to quickly increase knee strength and reduce knee pain significantly.
As to how quickly you can progress, your knees will tell you. Discomfort is usually OK, but pain means you’re pushing too hard. Sharp pain means stop immediately, rest, and take it easier next time. Feel free to DM me if you want someone to train with.
Thanks for confirming that it isn’t normal. Most people who are 30 have not injured their knees to the point of issues.