Did you know that every one pound of body weight, it adds three pounds of force to the knees? The knee is the largest joint in the body and gives you flexibility and stability for standing, walking, crouching, running, jumping and turning. With so many moving parts in the knee, it is vulnerable to injury.
Give your knees a break with these measures:
- Strengthen Your Leg Muscles. Strong quadriceps and hamstring muscles will protect your knees from injury.
- Stretch Before and After Any Workout. Stretch your quadriceps and hamstring muscles before and after exercising to reduce pressure on your knees.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight. Every step you take places about three times your body weight on your knees.
- Wear Shoes with Proper Arch Support. Stay away from flip-flops and other shoes that provide poor arch support and put unnecessary stress on the knee joint.
If pain is limiting your lifestyle or activities in any way, you should consult with your doctor. Also, ask your doctor about receiving physical therapy. Therapy can instruct you on exercises that improve your knee stability and health without increasing the risk for injury and further damage.
In the meantime, you may want to R.I.C.E. it. “RICE” is an acronym used by medical professionals meaning: rest, ice, compress and elevate. Rest the joint from strenuous movement, ice the area of discomfort, compress with an elastic bandage to reduce inflammation, and finally elevate both to unload pressure and again reduce inflammation.