Just because you wouldn't get up at 5 a.m. every day to go for a jog or commit time on the weekends to training for your next marathon doesn't mean that knee discomfort won't even bother you. Since your knees bear much more of your body's weight and are used so regularly, even people who live entirely sedentary lives must take care of their knees. While merely sitting in the wrong stance for an extended amount of time might cause knee soreness, remaining in the wrong position for a prolonged period can cause knee pain and stiffness.

Office surroundings can be taxing on the knees. While you may not realize it, sitting all day may be an extremely demanding position to retain, especially on your joints such as your back and knees. 

Causes

Before you can figure out how to avoid it, you need to understand what's causing your continuous knee pain. Here are three possible explanations:

Sitting For Extended Periods

If your job requires you to sit for more than an hour each time (as most office employment does), you will most likely have knee discomfort due to idleness. Muscles and tendons might stiffen and become uncomfortable. Sitting in an improper position for an extended amount of time can also induce kneecap pain.

Many people find themselves sitting for an extended period at:

• watching TV or a movie
• during meals
• work
• computer use

According to Harvard Medical School, sitting for more than 6 to 8 hours a day may be harmful to your health. They recommend avoiding prolonged sitting, but if you should sit for an extended amount of time, move around and stretch every 30 to 60 minutes.

Sitting Position

Another significant source of knee pain is poor sitting posture, damaging your back and even your knees. When your knees are bent or under strain for an extended time, they will suffer discomfort and eventually pain. The tension will be increased if they are crossed or bent beneath you. As a result, be mindful of your seated posture, whether working or sitting for prolonged periods. You must always adhere to workplace ergonomics, such as selecting a comfortable seating position, keeping your mouse and keyboard within easy reach, and so on.

Furniture

When you're not using well-designed, ergonomic office furniture, or if your furniture is not in the proper position, alignment, height, or you may get knee discomfort and soreness as a result of keeping your body in a difficult position for lengthy periods. Certain positions are more demanding on the knees than others, and pain is frequently caused by having your office chair positioned too low or holding your knees in a flexed position for an extended period.

Injuries

This type of knee discomfort is commonly termed as preacher's knee or housemaid's knee. It is officially classified as either a type of prepatellar bursitis or a kind of pretibial bursitis. This happens when the tiny sacs of liquid that support the knee joint get inflamed due to prolonged kneeling. If you frequently find yourself rummaging through paperwork on your knees, this can be very stressful on your knees.

Prevention

Because most types of knee pain that affect office employees are caused by immobility, becoming more active is the best method to treat it.

Ergonomic Office Chair

The best option is to purchase a reclining ergonomic office chair with many adjustment functions. Keep in mind that your complete body posture can have an impact on your knees. Here's what you'll need to do once you've obtained the chair:

• Choose an ergonomic office chair that accommodates your spinal curves appropriately.
• Adjust the elevation of your chair so that your thighs are parallel to the floor while your feet are flat on the ground.
• Position the chair's armrests so that your arms may rest comfortably on them while your shoulders are relaxed.

Ergonomic Office Mesh Chair 1500F 1W by FlexiSpot

• Comes with a high backrest and a retractable footrest
• It has a headrest that you may adjust to reduce neck pressure.

Ergonomic Office Mesh Chair 1388 by FlexiSpot

• Has air-right structure seat 
• With 3D multi-function armrest

Soutien Ergonomic Office Chair by FlexiSpot

• 3D Adjustable Lumbar Support 
• 4D adjustability on the armrest

Height-Adjustable Standing Desk

Investing in a standing desk is a fantastic approach to reduce knee pain caused by prolonged sitting. You can swap positions every 30 minutes and split your sitting and standing time. As a result, it will avoid any muscle stiffness. Furthermore, a height-adjustable standing desk will allow you to achieve the optimal ergonomic setting for your daily workload.

Esben Standing Desk UD5 by FlexiSpot

• Large storage shelf
• 3-step quick installation

Vici Duplex Standing Desk  by FlexiSpot

• Unique dual-zone two-tier design
• Four programmable height presets

Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk EN1 by FlexiSpot

• Single motor 2-stage frame
• 3 Height presets

Footrest

Use a footrest if you can't effectively modify your chair elevation or if the height of your desk causes you to lift your chair over the level at which you can rest your feet flat on the ground. Putting your legs up on a footrest relieves pressure on your knees. This will maintain constant proper posture while working and alleviate your knees at regular intervals.

Other Tips

• To avoid knee pain and inflammation, take a mild over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication before a lengthy day at the office.
• If you have knee pain throughout the day, ice it at night and keep it raised in the evenings. It is highly beneficial to rest your leg on a cushion when relaxing.
• Stretches that work the quadriceps and hamstrings regularly are beneficial to your overall knee health. Some simple stretches you can do at your desk are calf raises, knee pulls, and leg raises.

If your job requires you to sit at a desk for lengthy periods, make sure you get regular exercise after work and keep your muscles and joints in good working condition. Even a short stroll every day can be beneficial. Though workplace circumstances may not allow us to obtain all of the movement we need every day, there are many small things you can take to change your sedentary life into a healthy one.