How to Avoid Knee Injuries
Keep your weight under control., Warm up before exercise., Cool down after working out., Stretch to increase flexibility., Perform aerobic exercises to control weight and build muscle in order to protect your knees., Avoid high-impact exercises or...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep your weight under control.
Every pound of excess weight puts about 5 pounds of extra pressure on your knees when you go up and down stairs, so losing excess weight is hugely important for protecting your knees.Studies have shown that people with arthritic knees lose 20 percent of their pain with every 10 pounds of weight loss., A warm up prepares your body for physical activity, thereby both reducing the chance of injury and improving performance.
Generally speaking, the less frequently you exercise, the longer you will need to warm up.Some good warm ups include:
Starting slow — If you are doing an aerobic activity like walking, swimming, or biking, start slowly for five to 10 minutes, then gradually ramp up to full speed.Step-ups — Step up onto a small stool or stairs, lifting your body with one leg.
Step back down with the same leg.
Do 10–15 step-ups per leg.
Hamstring curls — Lie flat on your stomach and bend one leg so your heel moves towards your buttocks.
Repeat 10–15 times per leg.
Straight-leg lifts — Lie on your back with one leg bent so your foot is flat on the floor.
Keeping your other leg straight, lift it until it is perpendicular to your body.
Repeat 10–15 times for each leg. , Cool down by gradually decreasing the intensity level of your aerobic exercise.
Slow down until your breathing and heart rate have returned to normal.
Cooling down helps your body to recover and reduces the risk of strains and injury.Light cardio — Walk for five to 10 minutes until your heart rate slows, or bike or row at low resistance for five to 10 minutes.
If swimming, swim leisurely for five to 10 minutes.Walking lunges — Do two sets of ten walking lunges.
As you step forward, transfer your weight to your front leg and bend both legs until the knee of your back leg is only an inch off the floor.
Push off with both legs to step forward onto your other foot and repeat the process.Stretching — Follow your light cardio or lunges with five to 10 minutes of stretching., Increased flexibility in your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and hips will reduce the chance of knee injury by helping you to move more fluidly and with better posture.Stretching should be done both after warming up and after exercising.
To keep your heart rate elevated after your warm up, do standing stretches.
Save sitting stretches for after your cool down.Stretch slowly, hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and do not bounce while stretching, as this may cause injury.
Some good stretches include:
Quadriceps (Standing) – While holding onto a support for balance, grab the top of your left foot with your right hand and slowly pull your heel towards your buttocks.
Repeat with the other leg.
Calf (Standing) — Stand with one leg before the other.
Lean forward while holding onto a solid support, putting your weight on your front leg and keeping your back leg straight and the heel on the ground in order to stretch the calf.
Repeat with the other leg.
Hamstring (Standing) — Standing with your legs spread just beyond shoulder width, lean forward and towards one leg while keeping your legs and back straight.
Repeat with the other leg.
Standing hip flexor (Standing) — Stand with one foot a bit in front of the other and, keeping your back straight, lunge forward on your front leg until you feel some strain, but no discomfort in the front of the hip of your back leg.
Repeat with the other leg.
Butterfly stretch (Sitting) — Sit up straight with the soles of your feet pressed together and hold your feet as you lean your upper body forward.
Lean until you feel some strain, but no discomfort.
Hamstring (Sitting) — Sit and straighten one leg, while keeping the other bend so that the sole of your foot rests against the thigh of the opposite leg.
Lean forward towards your outstretched leg while being sure to keep your foot upright.
Repeat with the other leg. , Focus on the following non-impact exercises that will keep you in shape without stressing your knees:
Walking on level ground Elliptical training Stationary or road biking Swimming Water aerobics , Running on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt, and particularly downhill running, can be hard on the knees.
Likewise, strength exercises including deep knee bends and squats can strain the knees.
If doing them, never bend your knee more than halfway., Warm up in advance and run on a smooth soft surface such as a track or dirt trail instead of cement or asphalt.
Walk down hills instead of running.
Reduce stride length to lessen the impact on your knees.Be sure to purchase new shoes every 400 to 600 miles traveled to ensure the soles do not get too compressed to properly absorb impact., Focus on your hips, quadriceps, and hamstrings, performing 1-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions for each muscle group.
The type of exercise is not important so long as you exercise the muscles regularly.
Some exercises to consider include:
Weight machines — Weights are a good way to isolate particular muscles.
Do hamstring curls, legs extensions, and hip abduction/adduction exercises.
Lunges — Lunges exercise the hips, quads, and hamstrings (as well as your glutes and calves) in one exercise.
Stand straight, then step forward.
As your foot lands, bend both legs until your back knee is about an inch from the floor.
Both knees should be at about a 90 degree angle.
Push off with your legs and move forward as you return to a standing position.
Be sure to keep your body upright during the exercise.Squats — With your feet shoulder-length or slightly wider apart, squat down while keeping your back as straight as possible and being careful to sit back rather than lean forward.
Continue squatting until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Return to standing., Slouching while you walk throws your body off balance and will eventually lead to knee pain.
To be sure you stand up straight when you move, you need to do exercises to strengthen your core (i.e. your abs, lower back, and surrounding muscles):
Planks — Lie face down with your toes on the floor.
Keep your back straight as you raise yourself off the ground, resting on your toes and forearms, which you should place on the floor with your elbows at 90-degree angles.
Hold for 15–45 seconds.
Back extensions — Lie face down with your elbows bent so that your hands are flat on the floor.
Keeping your hips pressed into the floor, arch your back and press with your arms so your head and shoulders are off the floor.
Hold for five to 10 seconds and repeat five to 10 times. -
Step 2: Warm up before exercise.
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Step 3: Cool down after working out.
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Step 4: Stretch to increase flexibility.
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Step 5: Perform aerobic exercises to control weight and build muscle in order to protect your knees.
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Step 6: Avoid high-impact exercises or ones that put stress on your knees.
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Step 7: Take precautions if you run frequently.
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Step 8: Strengthen the muscles around your knee.
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Step 9: Strengthen your core.
Detailed Guide
Every pound of excess weight puts about 5 pounds of extra pressure on your knees when you go up and down stairs, so losing excess weight is hugely important for protecting your knees.Studies have shown that people with arthritic knees lose 20 percent of their pain with every 10 pounds of weight loss., A warm up prepares your body for physical activity, thereby both reducing the chance of injury and improving performance.
Generally speaking, the less frequently you exercise, the longer you will need to warm up.Some good warm ups include:
Starting slow — If you are doing an aerobic activity like walking, swimming, or biking, start slowly for five to 10 minutes, then gradually ramp up to full speed.Step-ups — Step up onto a small stool or stairs, lifting your body with one leg.
Step back down with the same leg.
Do 10–15 step-ups per leg.
Hamstring curls — Lie flat on your stomach and bend one leg so your heel moves towards your buttocks.
Repeat 10–15 times per leg.
Straight-leg lifts — Lie on your back with one leg bent so your foot is flat on the floor.
Keeping your other leg straight, lift it until it is perpendicular to your body.
Repeat 10–15 times for each leg. , Cool down by gradually decreasing the intensity level of your aerobic exercise.
Slow down until your breathing and heart rate have returned to normal.
Cooling down helps your body to recover and reduces the risk of strains and injury.Light cardio — Walk for five to 10 minutes until your heart rate slows, or bike or row at low resistance for five to 10 minutes.
If swimming, swim leisurely for five to 10 minutes.Walking lunges — Do two sets of ten walking lunges.
As you step forward, transfer your weight to your front leg and bend both legs until the knee of your back leg is only an inch off the floor.
Push off with both legs to step forward onto your other foot and repeat the process.Stretching — Follow your light cardio or lunges with five to 10 minutes of stretching., Increased flexibility in your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and hips will reduce the chance of knee injury by helping you to move more fluidly and with better posture.Stretching should be done both after warming up and after exercising.
To keep your heart rate elevated after your warm up, do standing stretches.
Save sitting stretches for after your cool down.Stretch slowly, hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and do not bounce while stretching, as this may cause injury.
Some good stretches include:
Quadriceps (Standing) – While holding onto a support for balance, grab the top of your left foot with your right hand and slowly pull your heel towards your buttocks.
Repeat with the other leg.
Calf (Standing) — Stand with one leg before the other.
Lean forward while holding onto a solid support, putting your weight on your front leg and keeping your back leg straight and the heel on the ground in order to stretch the calf.
Repeat with the other leg.
Hamstring (Standing) — Standing with your legs spread just beyond shoulder width, lean forward and towards one leg while keeping your legs and back straight.
Repeat with the other leg.
Standing hip flexor (Standing) — Stand with one foot a bit in front of the other and, keeping your back straight, lunge forward on your front leg until you feel some strain, but no discomfort in the front of the hip of your back leg.
Repeat with the other leg.
Butterfly stretch (Sitting) — Sit up straight with the soles of your feet pressed together and hold your feet as you lean your upper body forward.
Lean until you feel some strain, but no discomfort.
Hamstring (Sitting) — Sit and straighten one leg, while keeping the other bend so that the sole of your foot rests against the thigh of the opposite leg.
Lean forward towards your outstretched leg while being sure to keep your foot upright.
Repeat with the other leg. , Focus on the following non-impact exercises that will keep you in shape without stressing your knees:
Walking on level ground Elliptical training Stationary or road biking Swimming Water aerobics , Running on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt, and particularly downhill running, can be hard on the knees.
Likewise, strength exercises including deep knee bends and squats can strain the knees.
If doing them, never bend your knee more than halfway., Warm up in advance and run on a smooth soft surface such as a track or dirt trail instead of cement or asphalt.
Walk down hills instead of running.
Reduce stride length to lessen the impact on your knees.Be sure to purchase new shoes every 400 to 600 miles traveled to ensure the soles do not get too compressed to properly absorb impact., Focus on your hips, quadriceps, and hamstrings, performing 1-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions for each muscle group.
The type of exercise is not important so long as you exercise the muscles regularly.
Some exercises to consider include:
Weight machines — Weights are a good way to isolate particular muscles.
Do hamstring curls, legs extensions, and hip abduction/adduction exercises.
Lunges — Lunges exercise the hips, quads, and hamstrings (as well as your glutes and calves) in one exercise.
Stand straight, then step forward.
As your foot lands, bend both legs until your back knee is about an inch from the floor.
Both knees should be at about a 90 degree angle.
Push off with your legs and move forward as you return to a standing position.
Be sure to keep your body upright during the exercise.Squats — With your feet shoulder-length or slightly wider apart, squat down while keeping your back as straight as possible and being careful to sit back rather than lean forward.
Continue squatting until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Return to standing., Slouching while you walk throws your body off balance and will eventually lead to knee pain.
To be sure you stand up straight when you move, you need to do exercises to strengthen your core (i.e. your abs, lower back, and surrounding muscles):
Planks — Lie face down with your toes on the floor.
Keep your back straight as you raise yourself off the ground, resting on your toes and forearms, which you should place on the floor with your elbows at 90-degree angles.
Hold for 15–45 seconds.
Back extensions — Lie face down with your elbows bent so that your hands are flat on the floor.
Keeping your hips pressed into the floor, arch your back and press with your arms so your head and shoulders are off the floor.
Hold for five to 10 seconds and repeat five to 10 times.
About the Author
Christopher Ortiz
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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