I'm constantly amazed by the advances of medicine. One problem with getting a knee replacment is that there's a one-size fits all (or one of only a few selections fits all) system, that doesn't always work well for people of different shapes and sizes. Knees wear and tear differently because of different body types. But new technology is taking away this issue. Check out this article: 

"A total knee replacement can take place using Shapematch technology. MRI images are used to create a 3-D image of your knee. Then a custom fit knee is made and precisely placed." 

Now instead of having to adjust your life around a knee that may or may not quite fit, the knee is made to fit your life and your body. 

Only about a dozen surgeons in the US are currently using this techonology, but I'm sure that it's going to be standard practice before long. 

Whenever I search for interesting news about knee health, I am bombarded with stories about the latest athletes who have injured their knees in pursuit of a win. As a health journalist, I spend what I sometimes consider too much time wading through every way your health can go wrong, and it makes me a little paranoid about my own health. Dental stories make my teeth twinge uncomfortably; knee stories lead me to carefully swing my leg back and forth, testing the hinge for any sign of malfunction; and back stories have been known to encourage me to make major changes, such as no longer carrying my laptop to work or purchasing an exercise ball to use instead of a desk chair (great consumer choice, by the way; my posture hasn't been this good in years). So it's no wonder that when I read story after story of injured athletes, I wonder why we do it. Why do we continue to run, to play sports (any other tennis players out there?), to dance?

I know my answers, but I'm interested in yours--especially if you've been injured before and it hasn't slowed you down.

I'll probably write a story about this at some point, so make sure to let me know if you don't want to be quoted or referenced.

I read an article the other day about how flip-flops are easier on the knees than special walking shoes (also meaning that wearing flip-flops helps to prevent osteoarthritis). They tested the results on knees of walking barefoot and wearing Dansko clogs, Brooks Addiction stability shoes, Puma H-Street shoes, and flip-flops. Going barefoot or wearing flip-flops were best for the knees.  (You can read the full article here.)

Though it may go against popular belief, this makes sense to me. Shoes were created to increase the comfort of feet--to protect them from uncomfortable environmental conditions and increase comfort during long periods of standing--and it is the effect shoes have on your feet that's immediately noticeable. But we evolved to walk barefoot, so it should be barefoot walking (or shoes that result in walking similar to barefoot walking) that flows most naturally and results in the least amount of wear and tear on the body.

I'm certainly not advocating that we go back to always walking barefoot; however, the effect of shoe design on the rest of our body needs to be considered.