Knee pain, including that caused by arthritis or gout, can limit your ability to jog or play sports. If it is severe enough, it may even prevent you from walking. According to MayoClinic.com rheumatologist Dr. April Chang-Miller, no clinical evidence currently confirms that certain foods make knee pain worse. However, anecdotal evidence does exist, and many patients find that staying away from certain foods helps their pain. You may try avoiding types of food that can aggravate knee pain, but consult your physician before making changes to your diet.
Nightshade Plants
Foods that come from plants in the Solanaceae or "nightshade" family may aggravate knee pain caused by arthritis, according to the Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation. Common foods that come from nightshade-family plants include potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Avoiding these foods may help to reduce knee pain caused by arthritis or inflammation. Tobacco is also a nightshade-family plant, and smoking or chewing tobacco may aggravate knee pain.
Animal Protein
Eating meat may also aggravate knee pain. According to TrueNorth Health, in some people, the body responds to the presence of protein from meat as if it is an attacker. The body's immune system responds by attacking the proteins it sees as dangerous. Unfortunately, an immune system on constant "alert" may also attack the body's own tissues, especially the joints. Studies of people in Japan and other countries where the typical diet includes very little animal protein show that these populations do not suffer arthritis or other autoimmune conditions nearly as much as do populations that eat a great deal of animal protein. Avoiding meat may therefore be one way to reduce knee pain, particularly if your pain is caused by an autoimmune condition.
Allergens
Foods that cause or aggravate allergic reactions may also aggravate knee pain, according to BellaOnline Alternative Medicine Editor Victoria Abreo. Knee and other joint pains may indicate an allergic reaction to certain foods. Common food allergies include include milk, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish and nuts including tree nuts and peanuts. Try eliminating these foods from your diet one at a time to see if they have any effect on your knee pain.
