Your knees during Ramadan

What changes for the knee in Ramadan

Ramadan changes the rhythm of the day. Meals move to iftar and suhoor, sleep is often shorter and broken, and evenings are full of prayer, family visits and gatherings. For someone with knee arthritis, a meniscus problem or a recovering injury, three things tend to matter most: long periods of standing or sitting on the floor, less fluid during the day, and exercise squeezed into a few hours.

This guide covers practical options for daily life. It does not address surgery planning, which is covered separately, and it does not give religious rulings.

Long prayers, standing and floor sitting

Taraweeh and night prayers can involve long periods of standing, as well as repeated bowing, sujood and sitting. Many people with knee pain find that it is the volume, rather than any single movement, that brings on aching and swelling.

• Spread your weight evenly on both legs while standing, with knees soft rather than locked.
• Use a firm prayer mat with extra padding, or a folded cushion, under the knees.
• Some people pray part of the prayer on a chair, or stand behind a chair to use its back for support when going down and coming up.
• Choose a place near a wall or pillar if it helps you to rise.

Questions about which options suit your situation in religious terms can be discussed with a scholar. From the medical side, Dr. Gelber can explain which positions are likely to strain your knee and which are usually well tolerated.

When to exercise

Keeping the knee moving and the thigh muscles strong matters just as much in Ramadan, but the timing changes. Hard exercise in the afternoon while fasting, especially in warm weather, leads to dizziness and fatigue, and tired muscles protect the knee less well.

• Many people find one to two hours after iftar the most practical time, once they have eaten and had fluids.
• A gentle walk or light exercises shortly before iftar can work for some, kept short and easy.
• After taraweeh or before suhoor are other options for those who are awake.
• Keep simple home exercises, such as straight-leg raises and gentle knee bends, going daily, and reduce the intensity of heavy gym or sport sessions.

Medicines between iftar and suhoor

Many patients with knee pain take regular painkillers or anti-inflammatory medicines. During Ramadan, the timing usually has to change, and some medicines need extra care.

• Anti-inflammatory tablets can irritate the stomach, so they are usually taken with food at iftar or suhoor rather than on an empty stomach.
• Do not double doses to make up for the fasting hours.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether a once- or twice-daily form, or a gel applied to the knee, would suit your routine.
• People with diabetes, kidney problems or heart conditions should review all their medicines with their physician before Ramadan.
• Never stop a blood thinner or change its timing without medical advice.

Hydration, food and gout

Spread fluids through the evening and night rather than drinking a large amount at once. Water, soups and fruit help; sugary drinks and a lot of tea or coffee are less useful.

Dehydration and large, rich meals can trigger gout in people prone to it. Gout often affects the big toe but can cause a sudden hot, red, very painful and swollen knee. If you have had gout before, discuss a plan with your doctor before Ramadan. A hot, swollen knee with fever needs urgent assessment to exclude infection.

Ramadan is also a time when weight can change. Lighter, balanced iftars help knees with arthritis, since body weight adds load with every step.

Umrah, Eid and travel

Many families travel for Umrah during Ramadan, which can mean many kilometres of walking on hard floors in crowds. If your knees are painful, plan rest periods, wear cushioned shoes, and consider a wheelchair or electric cart for parts of the walking. Make sure your medicines are packed in your hand luggage.

At Eid, long gatherings with floor seating can stiffen the knee. Change position often, and ask for a chair or cushion if needed.

When to see a knee surgeon in Doha

Do not wait until after Eid if the knee becomes hot and swollen, locks, gives way, or if you cannot bear weight. For persistent pain that makes prayer, walking or daily life difficult, a consultation at Aman Hospital can be arranged at times that suit fasting patients. Dr. Gelber will examine the knee and suggest a plan that fits the month.