Injury Prevention for Knees
Introduction
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce pain and knee to provide greater strength and flexibility. In case of a good routine it helps to strengthen the front thigh muscles so they can withstand the pressure. The knees provide stable support for the body. They also allow the legs to bend and straighten. Both flexibility and stability are needed to stand, walk, run, crouch, jump, and turn.
Knee pain resulting from various causes, from a muscular injury to problems osteoporosis, obesity, and calcium deficiency. The most common cause of pain is cartilage wear covering the articular surfaces forming the knee. This type of pain is predominant in women and occurs most often older, but is not exclusive to them.
Causes of Knee Injuries
- A direct blow or sudden movements that strain the knee
- ACL injury: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the key ligaments that help stabilize your knee joint. The ACL connects your thighbone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). It’s most commonly torn during sports that involve sudden stops and changes in direction — such as basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball.
Prevention
There are simple measures you can take to reduce your risk of a knee injury.
- Warm up before exercise.
- Use activity appropriate footwear and equipment.
- Follow necessary precautions when exercising
- Watch out for slippery ground.
- Increase your activity level no more than 5-10% per week and only 1 factor (intensity/speed, distance/duration, flat/hills) at a time (e.g. don’t increase speed and distance simultaneously).
Knee Exercises
It is always recommended that your doctor gives you the go ahead before engaging in knee exercises. It is important to maintain flexibility and strength as you recover by doing the gentle exercises.
Warm Up
Ride a stationary bike for about 5 minutes, take a quick 2-minute walk while pumping your arms.
Quad Strengthening
- Tighten the muscles on the front of thigh and straighten the knee without locking it backwards.
- Maintain position while you lift the thigh about 12”.
- Hold: 10 seconds
- Repeat: 3 sets of 10
Hamstring Curl
- Stand upright and hold a table for support
- While keeping your thigh vertical, bend your knee to 90 degree.
- After holding, lower slowly.
- Hold: 10 seconds
- Repeat: 3 sets of 10
Leg extensions short arc
- Sit or lie on the floor, place a rolled towel under one of your muscles for support.
- Keep the other leg straight and lifts the foot of that leg about 20 cm from the floor, for 5 seconds.
- Lower your foot slowly flexing the knee.
- Do 10 repetitions on each side.
Hamstring Stretch
- Pull the thigh towards your chest to about 90 degree.
- Straighten the knee until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.
- Hold: 15 seconds.
- Repeat: 10 times.
