The Real Reason Your Knees Are Buckling After 50 and How To Strengthen Them Naturally
Learn why women over 50 are most at risk for this bothersome issue
You’re walking down the stairs when suddenly your knee gives out without warning, or maybe you’re getting up from a chair and feel that unsettling wobble that makes you grab for support. If your knees keep buckling, there could be several possible causes, says sports medicine surgeon Miho J. Tanaka, MD, PhD, director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Here, she explains a few underlying factors behind frequent knee buckling and shares simple strategies to strengthen your knees and avoid future episodes.
3 common causes of knee buckling
Knee buckling is not necessarily a medical term, but rather how people describe a sudden, involuntary giving way of the knee joint, says Dr. Tanaka.
“Medically speaking, however, there are many different causes of knee buckling—which is why it’s important to see a physician to identify the source and determine the best treatment options.” A few common reasons you might experience knee instability or buckling:
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Muscle overuse or imbalance
The knee joint works like a hinge, meaning that it bends only in one direction. Its movement is controlled by the muscles in the leg, like the quadriceps and hamstrings. “When these muscles are overused or imbalanced, they can give out, creating the sensation of knee buckling—even if the joint itself is structurally normal,” says Dr. Tanaka.
Knee osteoarthritis
“Damage or wear and tear of the cartilage, otherwise known as arthritis, can lead to irregularities in the gliding surfaces within the knee and contribute to a catching or buckling sensation during movements,” she says.
Knee injury
“In extreme cases, injury to the ligaments that hold the knee together can cause the affected knee joint to essentially ‘come off the hinge’ and bend in abnormal directions,” Dr. Tanaka explains. “This is another reason to see a physician to determine the underlying cause of knee buckling.”
Why knee buckling affects women over 50
There are two common factors that can increase the risk of knee buckling in women over 50, says Dr. Tanaka. The first is that “we lose muscle mass as we age—typically after the age of 30—and therefore we need to make an active effort to maintain strength and stability in our legs.” (Check out our tips for reversing sarcopenia, or age-related muscle mass.)
As a result of muscle loss, people in this age group are more likely to overload their muscles and joints during activity, which can also lead to knee buckling, she adds.
The second reason women might be experiencing knee buckling is because the cartilage in our joints slowly wears down over time, leading to osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. “Because the cartilage normally provides a smooth surface for the gliding motion in our knee joints, wear and tear of the cartilage can lead to grinding and buckling sensations during movement.”
Dr. Tanaka explains that because cartilage also serves as a cushion and is important for shock absorption in our knee joints, “the changes that can occur with arthritis can increase the likelihood of pain and swelling, which may be accompanied by buckling sensations in the knees during prolonged or high-impact activities.”
How to prevent knee buckling
Though we can’t change the fact that we may develop wear and tear in our knees over time, there is ample evidence that maintaining strength in the muscles that support the knees can help reduce knee pain and symptoms, assures Dr. Tanaka.
Strengthen your quads
“In particular, strengthening the quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as the muscles of the hip and core [abdominal muscles], can be helpful in supporting and taking the pressure off of the knee joints during activities,” Dr. Tanaka explains.
Indeed, pinpointing the right exercises is key for preventing knee problems. “In general, as our knees wear out, the effectiveness of the cartilage in cushioning the knees against stress is reduced,” she says. “Therefore, low-impact activities such as swimming, biking, yoga and Pilates can help strengthen the muscles without putting too much stress on the knees.” (Check out a few simple knee-strengthening exercises here.)
Work toward shedding extra pounds
Last but not least, body weight plays a big role in knee stress. “Biomechanical studies show that for every pound of body weight, there are roughly six pounds of added pressure on the knees when squatting or taking the stairs,” says Dr. Tanaka. “This means that even losing just five pounds can noticeably reduce the strain on your knees for anyone experiencing knee discomfort.”
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