Dubai: For thousands of UAE residents, the slow crawl between Dubai and Sharjah has become an unavoidable part of daily life. But medical experts caution that the long hours spent sitting in traffic may be doing more harm than many commuters realise. According to leading knee specialist Dr. Azam Badar Khan, widely known as Dr. Knee, the prolonged immobility caused by bumper-to-bumper traffic is contributing to a rise in early knee pain, stiffness, and premature joint degeneration among regular drivers.

What should ideally be a 30-minute trip often stretches well beyond an hour due to peak-time congestion. While most conversations around this daily commute focus on stress and lost time, Dr. Khan highlights an often overlooked concern: the physical toll on the knees. Long periods of sitting limit circulation, increase muscle stiffness, and accelerate cartilage wear. “When you sit for too long with your knees locked in one position, the joint becomes compressed. Over time, this leads to pain, swelling, and early degeneration, and we are now seeing this even in people as young as 35,” he explains.

Regular commuters between Dubai, Sharjah, and the Northern Emirates face a set of physical challenges—constant accelerator–brake movements, minimal chances to stretch, and sustained pressure on the knee joint during extended periods of sitting. Dr. Khan notes that more than 40 percent of his patients fall between the ages of 30 and 50, and many of them are daily long-distance drivers. Limited mobility for stretches of up to two hours gradually weakens the quadriceps—the primary muscle responsible for protecting and stabilising the knee—making it easier for even mild, unnoticed discomfort to intensify over time.

To help counter this growing issue, Dr. Knee stresses the importance of awareness and early prevention. Simple adjustments, he says, can make a significant difference. Ensuring the car seat is positioned so the knees are not raised above the hips, avoiding overextending the legs while driving, and taking short “micro-breaks” in traffic by flexing the thigh muscles or gently stretching the legs can all help maintain circulation and reduce pressure on the joint. Strengthening the quadriceps and surrounding muscles through a few minutes of daily exercise provides additional protection, while maintaining a healthy weight helps reduce unnecessary strain. Dr. Khan also advises against sitting cross-legged after reaching home, as it can worsen stiffness already built up during the commute.

“Traffic may be a part of life in this region, but knee damage doesn’t have to be,” Dr. Khan says. Through his initiative Let’s Walk Again with Dr. Knee, he continues to raise awareness about the importance of early intervention. Upcoming knee-health camps and free check-ups across Dubai aim to help residents detect warning signs before discomfort begins to affect quality of life. “Don’t wait for the pain to reach a point where daily activities become difficult. Prevention is always the best cure,” he adds.