“Doctor, my left knee has been uncomfortable these past few days, as if something is stuck inside, and I sometimes feel pain when going up or down the stairs.” Yesterday, Mr. Wang, a local resident, visited the Orthopedics Department of Longsai Hospital. The examination revealed a minor injury to his knee joint.

      It turns out that Mr. Wang had a history of “rheumatic leg.” During the National Day holiday, he traveled to Huangshan Mountain with his family. The mountain paths were rugged, with steep slopes and many steps, and before he knew it, he had “fallen to his knees.” “I didn’t feel anything at the time, but a few days later, my knee started to bother me,” Mr. Wang recalled.

      “Your left knee sustained a minor knock on Huangshan Mountain, and then the repeated frequent bending and straightening of the knee joint led to a sports-related injury,” said Dr. Li Jian, associate chief physician in the Orthopedics Department who treated him. He explained that in autumn, as the weather gets cooler, the knee joints become stiff, and they can easily get injured if not careful.

      “Knee joint injuries are relatively easy to recognize. The main symptoms include knee pain, which worsens after exercise and eases with rest. There may be difficulty walking, limited ability to bend or straighten the knee, trouble squatting, and obvious pain when going up or down stairs,” Dr. Li said. Some patients may also experience sudden stabbing pain or a feeling of weakness in the legs when moving abruptly.

      Dr. Li reminded that after a knee injury, proper treatment measures must be taken. It is not advisable to blindly apply medicated plasters or spray Yunnan Baiyao. It is important to rest more and wait 3 to 4 weeks for recovery before resuming exercise to avoid re-injury to the knee joint.

      When hiking or running for fitness, one should let the forefoot land first to fully utilize the elasticity of the foot arch for cushioning and reduce landing impact. “Exercise should also be done in moderation—you should rest more when you feel tired,” Dr. Li said.

      In addition, it is essential to do adequate warm-up exercises before working out. Dr. Li explained that in colder temperatures, muscles and ligaments reflexively cause blood vessels to constrict, increasing viscosity, reducing flexibility, decreasing the range of joint movement, and impairing the nervous system’s ability to control muscles. Without proper warm-up exercises, one is also prone to muscle strains or ligament sprains.