If your knees bother you when you bend them, here’s a natural way to help ease the pain: Get strong quads. Research shows that strengthening these key leg muscles can actually help you maintain your cartilage - the stuff that tends to break down as arthritis sets in. The result? Less knee pain.

In a study of people suffering from knee osteoarthritis, having strong quadriceps protected against cartilage loss at a certain area of the knee called the lateral compartment of the patellofemoral joint. Quad strength didn’t seem to help cartilage in other important areas of the knee. Still, people with the strongest quads reported less knee pain and better physical function than people with the least strength in this muscle. Know what else is great for knees? Walking backwards.

Here are some knee-friendly foods and some med-free ways to preserve your joints. Look in your kitchen: Green Tea helps with joint pain. Coleslaw. This cool slaw can keep fingers and knees healthy. Eat lots of ginger, it can thwart inflammation.

 

“Health Tip of The Day brought to you by Doctors Hospital, keeping you and your family healthy for life.”