Your Guide to Knee Pain Prevention: Part I

photo by yuan2003

I know what you’re thinking: “You’re broken and all, but my knees work just fine. How do I prevent hobbling around like you?”

Glad you asked. If there were one thing I’d go back and tell my younger self—you know, if someone built a time machine and I somehow got a turn in it—I’d force her to focus on preventive measures. Misery loves company, but I don’t want you to join me in my chronic pain journey. Instead, I want to help you thwart future pain in your knees. Here’s how:

Get to Know Your Feet
Normal arches are actually not that normal. Go figure. Lots of people are like me, with feet that roll inward thanks to low arches. (Some have too-high arches, which brings a host of other problems.) Flat feet can change the mechanics of your whole leg; when your feet roll inward, your knees follow. And a knee that rolls inward no longer tracks along its smooth path. If you have flat feet, prevent maltracking by getting a pair of orthotics. The shoe inserts will shift your stance and help re-align the leg’s position.

Wear Smart Shoes
It’s also important to wear proper shoes. As much as I’d like to believe all shoes—even cheapo Payless ones—were created equal, my knee pain has convinced me that quality matters. A good pair of shoes can give your foot the support it needs, whether you have flat feet or high arches. Plus, ill-fitting shoes can alter the way you run, which in turn puts you at risk for injury.

Strengthen Weak Leg Muscles
The muscles of the leg control the movement of the kneecap, so when they’re too weak or tight you can experience improper tracking and pain.

QUADRICEPS If your inner quadriceps (the muscles along the front of your thigh) are too weak compared to other tendons and muscles, your knee may be pulled outward more than inward. The result? A knee that doesn’t follow a smooth path along the thigh bone. The quadriceps muscle known as the VMO (on the inner thigh just above the knee) is particularly important for counteracting outward forces on the knee.

HAMSTRINGS The muscles on the back of your thighs flex the knee. When they’re too tight, pressure between the kneecap and the thigh bone increases.

IT BAND The band of fibers that runs along the outside of your thigh (also called the iliotibial band) easy becomes tight with running. And that can pull the kneecap too far outward. Plus, it can rotate the tibia (shin bone). Either away, the kneecap can track improperly and eventually start to ache.

HIP Weak or tight hips allow the kneecap to move out of alignment.

CALVES When your calf muscles are too tight, your body compensates by rolling your foot inward and increasing the force on the knee.

And the most important piece of advice I’d give my younger self? If it hurts, stop. If you have ongoing knee pain, make prevention a priority for the rest of your life—not just until the pain goes away.

Stay tuned because tomorrow I’m passing along moves that will strengthen and stretch the key muscles I mentioned above.