My knee buckles and I'm afraid of falling. What can I do?

Why buckling becomes common with age

Muscle strength naturally declines with age, faster when activity drops. Arthritis adds pain, which inhibits the quadriceps for a split second as you step. Balance reflexes slow down, and some medicines cause dizziness. Together, these make the knee fold more easily, often when turning to answer a door, stepping off a kerb or getting up at night.

The fear of falling is reasonable, but avoiding activity tends to make the weakness worse.

Likely causes

• Knee osteoarthritis, often with stiffness after sitting and pain on stairs
• Quadriceps weakness after illness, a hospital stay or months of reduced walking
• A degenerative meniscus tear that catches occasionally
• Spinal narrowing or nerve problems affecting leg strength
• Medicines, low blood pressure, poor vision or inner ear problems that affect balance, which a family doctor should review

Practical steps at home

• Use a walking stick in the hand opposite the painful knee
• Install grab rails in the bathroom and by the bed, and use night lights
• Remove loose rugs and keep floors dry, especially around wudu areas
• Wear supportive, closed footwear indoors rather than loose slippers
• Do daily chair exercises: sit-to-stand, straight-leg raises and heel raises holding a counter
• Walk regularly in air-conditioned malls in the hot months to keep up strength safely

When to see a knee surgeon in Doha

Book an assessment if the knee buckles regularly, if there has been a fall, or if pain is limiting walking. Seek urgent care after a fall with inability to bear weight, a deformed knee or hip, or a head injury.

At Aman Hospital, Dr. Gelber examines the knee, reviews standing X-rays and discusses options in order: physiotherapy, weight management and pain control first, injections in selected patients, and surgery such as a knee replacement when arthritis is advanced and daily life is badly affected.