1. What changes in the knee after 40<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/exploracion-fisica-rodilla-ortopedista-tijuana.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nOver time, cartilage, meniscus and tendon respond differently to load: they\u2019re less elastic and they take longer to adapt to a new demand. Muscle mass can drop too, especially after years of low activity \u2014 and the quad is one of the structures that protects the knee most when you run or change direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
None of that means the knee \u201ccan\u2019t take it anymore.\u201d It means the gap between what your body handles well and what it isn\u2019t ready for yet gets narrower. Which is why the problem is rarely the sport itself. It\u2019s the jump in load. Going from nothing to three hard sessions a week is a big change for any joint, at any age.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n2. \u00a0\u201cMy MRI shows a meniscus tear\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s one of the findings that scares people most, and it\u2019s worth some context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meniscus changes with age, like every other tissue. Those changes can show up on an MRI without being what\u2019s causing your symptoms: some people have findings on the scan and no pain at all, and some people have real pain that\u2019s coming from a different part of the knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two ways to read that, and both matter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- A finding on the MRI doesn\u2019t always explain where your pain is coming from.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- And it doesn\u2019t mean your pain doesn\u2019t matter. A symptom that shows up with exercise is worth checking, findings or no findings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What guides the plan isn\u2019t the scan alone \u2014 it\u2019s the scan plus a hands-on exam plus what actually happens when you put weight on the knee. That\u2019s what an orthopedic visit<\/a> is for: the images get read with your knee in the room, not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n3. Does running after 40 wear your knee out?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s one of the most common questions we get, and the answer usually surprises people: what tends to catch up with the knee isn\u2019t running, it\u2019s running hard without a strength base and without building up gradually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research points that way. In Is There an Association Between a History of Running and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis?<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,637 participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative, people who reported a history of running didn\u2019t have more symptomatic knee osteoarthritis than people who never ran. Recreational running doesn\u2019t show up there as the knee-killer we tend to assume.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere it pays to be careful is in how you come back. Knees don\u2019t respond well to sudden jumps: going from months off to hard sessions, adding volume and intensity in the same week, or stepping straight into the game with no strength work behind it. That pattern is one of the biggest drivers of injury \u2014 and it\u2019s the one you can actually change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n4. The part of the comeback people skip: strength<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/entrenamiento-fuerza-piernas-despues-de-los-40.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s common to come back by jumping straight into the sport and leave strength work for later. There\u2019s data here worth knowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Strength Training Is Associated With Less Knee Osteoarthritis<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,607 participants from the same registry, people who reported strength training at some point in their lives had less knee pain and less osteoarthritis than those who never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd once there are degenerative changes, backing off movement isn\u2019t the answer either: the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines<\/a> point out that exercise does more for pain and function than rest in patients with knee osteoarthritis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAs a benchmark for how much, the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2nd edition)<\/a> call for muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week, on top of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor your comeback, that means leg and hip strength work isn\u2019t a bonus for when you have extra time. It\u2019s part of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n5. What a gradual comeback looks like<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no one-size-fits-all here: where you start depends on your history, your sport and how the knee is doing right now. But some principles tend to hold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Change one variable at a time.<\/strong> Adding volume? Keep the intensity. Adding intensity? Don\u2019t add days too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Leave recovery days between impact sessions<\/strong>, especially in the early weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Train quads, glutes and the posterior chain<\/strong> twice a week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Warm up<\/strong> instead of going in cold, particularly after a long break.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stretch after workout<\/strong> will decrease the rate of muscular and joint injuries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Watch how the knee responds over the next 24 to 48 hours<\/strong>, not just during the session. Swelling or pain that\u2019s worse the next day and keeps coming back is worth checking, even if it settles on its own. Settling isn\u2019t always the same as resolving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
One important caveat: \u201cwatch how it responds\u201d applies to soreness that shows up as you add load. It does not apply after a blow, a bad fall, a hard twist, or when you can\u2019t put weight on the leg.<\/strong> That\u2019s not a wait-and-see situation \u2014 get the knee looked at<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen should you see a specialist?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\nSome signs call for an evaluation without waiting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- You can\u2019t put weight on the leg<\/strong> or walk after a blow, a fall or a twist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Possible fracture or dislocation<\/strong>: visible deformity, the knee shifting out of place, severe pain right away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The knee locks<\/strong> \u2014 you can\u2019t fully straighten or bend it \u2014 or it gives way when you load it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It swells within the first few hours<\/strong> after a game or a session, or swells again every time you train.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pain that doesn\u2019t ease with rest, persistent night pain<\/strong>, or a red, warm knee with fever.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Discomfort that comes back in the same spot<\/strong> every time you add load, even if it disappears between sessions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1. I\u2019m 45 and I\u2019ve never run. Can I start?<\/strong><\/strong> In many cases yes, and age by itself isn\u2019t what rules it out. What\u2019s worth reviewing first is your injury history, body weight, leg strength and any current knee symptoms. An evaluation helps set where to start and what to work on alongside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. My knee clicks when I squat after training. Is that normal?<\/strong><\/strong> Clicking on its own, with no pain, is common and doesn\u2019t always point to a problem. When it comes with pain, swelling, a grinding feeling or a sense that something catches, it may have an explanation worth checking with a hands-on exam. What matters is what comes with the sound, not the sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Do injections help you get back to sport?<\/strong><\/strong> They\u2019re one of the available options and can help in selected cases, but they\u2019re not an automatic step and they don\u2019t replace strength work and gradual loading. Whether they fit your case is decided in person, after going over your records and examining the knee. You can read what they involve on the injections page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you want to get back to your sport with a clear plan<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA knee evaluation tells you what\u2019s actually going on, how much load your knee handles today, and how to build the comeback without repeating the injury. We go over any X-rays or MRIs you already have \u2014 and if you don\u2019t have any, you don\u2019t need them for a first visit \u2014 do a hands-on exam, and lay out the options for your case, including minimally invasive treatment<\/a> when it\u2019s indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBook your knee evaluation.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlejandro Luna, M.D. \u2014 Orthopedics & Traumatology<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (619) 554-2588 | \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd +52 (664) 814 3827<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udf10 Doctoralia: https:\/\/www.doctoralia.com.mx\/jose-alejandro-luna-jimenez\/ortopedista-traumatologo\/tijuana<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udfe5 Suite 301, Plaza Lincoln, Tijuana, B.C.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udf0e www.dralejandroluna.com<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83d\udd3a License No.: 7924783 \/ 10817457<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This content is informational and educational. It does not replace an in-person medical evaluation or your treating physician\u2019s instructions.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getting back to sports after 40 is possible. What changes in your knee, how to build back up, and when it\u2019s worth getting your knee checked in Tijuana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knee-pain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOver time, cartilage, meniscus and tendon respond differently to load: they\u2019re less elastic and they take longer to adapt to a new demand. Muscle mass can drop too, especially after years of low activity \u2014 and the quad is one of the structures that protects the knee most when you run or change direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
None of that means the knee \u201ccan\u2019t take it anymore.\u201d It means the gap between what your body handles well and what it isn\u2019t ready for yet gets narrower. Which is why the problem is rarely the sport itself. It\u2019s the jump in load. Going from nothing to three hard sessions a week is a big change for any joint, at any age.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
2. \u00a0\u201cMy MRI shows a meniscus tear\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s one of the findings that scares people most, and it\u2019s worth some context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meniscus changes with age, like every other tissue. Those changes can show up on an MRI without being what\u2019s causing your symptoms: some people have findings on the scan and no pain at all, and some people have real pain that\u2019s coming from a different part of the knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two ways to read that, and both matter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- A finding on the MRI doesn\u2019t always explain where your pain is coming from.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- And it doesn\u2019t mean your pain doesn\u2019t matter. A symptom that shows up with exercise is worth checking, findings or no findings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What guides the plan isn\u2019t the scan alone \u2014 it\u2019s the scan plus a hands-on exam plus what actually happens when you put weight on the knee. That\u2019s what an orthopedic visit<\/a> is for: the images get read with your knee in the room, not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n3. Does running after 40 wear your knee out?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s one of the most common questions we get, and the answer usually surprises people: what tends to catch up with the knee isn\u2019t running, it\u2019s running hard without a strength base and without building up gradually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research points that way. In Is There an Association Between a History of Running and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis?<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,637 participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative, people who reported a history of running didn\u2019t have more symptomatic knee osteoarthritis than people who never ran. Recreational running doesn\u2019t show up there as the knee-killer we tend to assume.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere it pays to be careful is in how you come back. Knees don\u2019t respond well to sudden jumps: going from months off to hard sessions, adding volume and intensity in the same week, or stepping straight into the game with no strength work behind it. That pattern is one of the biggest drivers of injury \u2014 and it\u2019s the one you can actually change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n4. The part of the comeback people skip: strength<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s common to come back by jumping straight into the sport and leave strength work for later. There\u2019s data here worth knowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Strength Training Is Associated With Less Knee Osteoarthritis<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,607 participants from the same registry, people who reported strength training at some point in their lives had less knee pain and less osteoarthritis than those who never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd once there are degenerative changes, backing off movement isn\u2019t the answer either: the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines<\/a> point out that exercise does more for pain and function than rest in patients with knee osteoarthritis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAs a benchmark for how much, the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2nd edition)<\/a> call for muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week, on top of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor your comeback, that means leg and hip strength work isn\u2019t a bonus for when you have extra time. It\u2019s part of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n5. What a gradual comeback looks like<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no one-size-fits-all here: where you start depends on your history, your sport and how the knee is doing right now. But some principles tend to hold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Change one variable at a time.<\/strong> Adding volume? Keep the intensity. Adding intensity? Don\u2019t add days too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Leave recovery days between impact sessions<\/strong>, especially in the early weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Train quads, glutes and the posterior chain<\/strong> twice a week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Warm up<\/strong> instead of going in cold, particularly after a long break.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stretch after workout<\/strong> will decrease the rate of muscular and joint injuries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Watch how the knee responds over the next 24 to 48 hours<\/strong>, not just during the session. Swelling or pain that\u2019s worse the next day and keeps coming back is worth checking, even if it settles on its own. Settling isn\u2019t always the same as resolving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
One important caveat: \u201cwatch how it responds\u201d applies to soreness that shows up as you add load. It does not apply after a blow, a bad fall, a hard twist, or when you can\u2019t put weight on the leg.<\/strong> That\u2019s not a wait-and-see situation \u2014 get the knee looked at<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen should you see a specialist?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\nSome signs call for an evaluation without waiting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- You can\u2019t put weight on the leg<\/strong> or walk after a blow, a fall or a twist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Possible fracture or dislocation<\/strong>: visible deformity, the knee shifting out of place, severe pain right away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The knee locks<\/strong> \u2014 you can\u2019t fully straighten or bend it \u2014 or it gives way when you load it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It swells within the first few hours<\/strong> after a game or a session, or swells again every time you train.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pain that doesn\u2019t ease with rest, persistent night pain<\/strong>, or a red, warm knee with fever.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Discomfort that comes back in the same spot<\/strong> every time you add load, even if it disappears between sessions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1. I\u2019m 45 and I\u2019ve never run. Can I start?<\/strong><\/strong> In many cases yes, and age by itself isn\u2019t what rules it out. What\u2019s worth reviewing first is your injury history, body weight, leg strength and any current knee symptoms. An evaluation helps set where to start and what to work on alongside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. My knee clicks when I squat after training. Is that normal?<\/strong><\/strong> Clicking on its own, with no pain, is common and doesn\u2019t always point to a problem. When it comes with pain, swelling, a grinding feeling or a sense that something catches, it may have an explanation worth checking with a hands-on exam. What matters is what comes with the sound, not the sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Do injections help you get back to sport?<\/strong><\/strong> They\u2019re one of the available options and can help in selected cases, but they\u2019re not an automatic step and they don\u2019t replace strength work and gradual loading. Whether they fit your case is decided in person, after going over your records and examining the knee. You can read what they involve on the injections page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you want to get back to your sport with a clear plan<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA knee evaluation tells you what\u2019s actually going on, how much load your knee handles today, and how to build the comeback without repeating the injury. We go over any X-rays or MRIs you already have \u2014 and if you don\u2019t have any, you don\u2019t need them for a first visit \u2014 do a hands-on exam, and lay out the options for your case, including minimally invasive treatment<\/a> when it\u2019s indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBook your knee evaluation.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nAlejandro Luna, M.D. \u2014 Orthopedics & Traumatology<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (619) 554-2588 | \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd +52 (664) 814 3827<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udf10 Doctoralia: https:\/\/www.doctoralia.com.mx\/jose-alejandro-luna-jimenez\/ortopedista-traumatologo\/tijuana<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udfe5 Suite 301, Plaza Lincoln, Tijuana, B.C.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83c\udf0e www.dralejandroluna.com<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \ud83d\udd3a License No.: 7924783 \/ 10817457<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This content is informational and educational. It does not replace an in-person medical evaluation or your treating physician\u2019s instructions.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getting back to sports after 40 is possible. What changes in your knee, how to build back up, and when it\u2019s worth getting your knee checked in Tijuana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knee-pain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
What guides the plan isn\u2019t the scan alone \u2014 it\u2019s the scan plus a hands-on exam plus what actually happens when you put weight on the knee. That\u2019s what an orthopedic visit<\/a> is for: the images get read with your knee in the room, not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s one of the most common questions we get, and the answer usually surprises people: what tends to catch up with the knee isn\u2019t running, it\u2019s running hard without a strength base and without building up gradually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The research points that way. In Is There an Association Between a History of Running and Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis?<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,637 participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative, people who reported a history of running didn\u2019t have more symptomatic knee osteoarthritis than people who never ran. Recreational running doesn\u2019t show up there as the knee-killer we tend to assume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where it pays to be careful is in how you come back. Knees don\u2019t respond well to sudden jumps: going from months off to hard sessions, adding volume and intensity in the same week, or stepping straight into the game with no strength work behind it. That pattern is one of the biggest drivers of injury \u2014 and it\u2019s the one you can actually change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s common to come back by jumping straight into the sport and leave strength work for later. There\u2019s data here worth knowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Strength Training Is Associated With Less Knee Osteoarthritis<\/em><\/a>, which looked at 2,607 participants from the same registry, people who reported strength training at some point in their lives had less knee pain and less osteoarthritis than those who never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And once there are degenerative changes, backing off movement isn\u2019t the answer either: the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines<\/a> point out that exercise does more for pain and function than rest in patients with knee osteoarthritis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n As a benchmark for how much, the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2nd edition)<\/a> call for muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week, on top of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For your comeback, that means leg and hip strength work isn\u2019t a bonus for when you have extra time. It\u2019s part of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all here: where you start depends on your history, your sport and how the knee is doing right now. But some principles tend to hold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One important caveat: \u201cwatch how it responds\u201d applies to soreness that shows up as you add load. It does not apply after a blow, a bad fall, a hard twist, or when you can\u2019t put weight on the leg.<\/strong> That\u2019s not a wait-and-see situation \u2014 get the knee looked at<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some signs call for an evaluation without waiting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. I\u2019m 45 and I\u2019ve never run. Can I start?<\/strong><\/strong> In many cases yes, and age by itself isn\u2019t what rules it out. What\u2019s worth reviewing first is your injury history, body weight, leg strength and any current knee symptoms. An evaluation helps set where to start and what to work on alongside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. My knee clicks when I squat after training. Is that normal?<\/strong><\/strong> Clicking on its own, with no pain, is common and doesn\u2019t always point to a problem. When it comes with pain, swelling, a grinding feeling or a sense that something catches, it may have an explanation worth checking with a hands-on exam. What matters is what comes with the sound, not the sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Do injections help you get back to sport?<\/strong><\/strong> They\u2019re one of the available options and can help in selected cases, but they\u2019re not an automatic step and they don\u2019t replace strength work and gradual loading. Whether they fit your case is decided in person, after going over your records and examining the knee. You can read what they involve on the injections page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A knee evaluation tells you what\u2019s actually going on, how much load your knee handles today, and how to build the comeback without repeating the injury. We go over any X-rays or MRIs you already have \u2014 and if you don\u2019t have any, you don\u2019t need them for a first visit \u2014 do a hands-on exam, and lay out the options for your case, including minimally invasive treatment<\/a> when it\u2019s indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Book your knee evaluation.<\/strong> Alejandro Luna, M.D. \u2014 Orthopedics & Traumatology<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This content is informational and educational. It does not replace an in-person medical evaluation or your treating physician\u2019s instructions.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting back to sports after 40 is possible. What changes in your knee, how to build back up, and when it\u2019s worth getting your knee checked in Tijuana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knee-pain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dralejandroluna.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}3. Does running after 40 wear your knee out?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. The part of the comeback people skip: strength<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n5. What a gradual comeback looks like<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
When should you see a specialist?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you want to get back to your sport with a clear plan<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n