Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

Spend enough time in any Physiotherapy Clinic and you'll quickly discover that three of the most common questions asked by people who have Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery are:

1. Can I eventually go back to my sport?


2. How long after my ACL Surgery can I return to my sport?


3. After doing all these months of knee exercises, will I need to wear a knee brace?

It is clear that those of us who want to return to sport after having an ACL reconstruction have a major concern about the risks of future ACL injuries. Let's face it: No one wants to tear their cruciate ligament twice. So one obvious idea is to wear a knee brace after a cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Now there has been plenty of speculation over whether a knee brace does in fact make any difference to the chances of incurring another ACL injury. You can ask your Physiotherapist, you can ask your Orthopaedic Specialist, you can ask your regular doctor, and you can ask your neighbour's dog. And you will always hear different views on the matter. Some believe it is of no benefit to wear a knee brace if the right rehabilitation program has been completed. Others say it is more a psychological issue, that when a person is wearing a knee brace they feel more confident and less at risk.

If you choose to wear a knee brace after your ACL reconstruction, it is important to be aware of the different types of knee braces available to you. There are some designed for wearing during specific sports or activities, and there are some that are made for use following certain types of injuries.

As someone who has personally had the experience of two ACL reconstructions, I am one of those people who chose to wear a knee brace when returning to playing soccer. At least for the first year of sport. It provided additional support to the knee joint as a whole as well as giving me more confidence. Depending on the type of activity or sport you are returning to, you will need to consider the following:

1. Will there be any direct impact on the knee? eg. tackles playing football, falling over while skiing
   
2. Will there be any twisting or turning involved? eg. playing netball or tennis
   
3. Will there be any sudden changing of direction? eg. while playing squash or basketball
   
4. Will there be a lot of bending? eg. during gardening or bowling
   
5. Will there be any additional weight carried? eg. as a builder or removalist, during gym training or weight training

Being able to answer these questions will assist you in determining what type of knee brace will be the most suitable as you return to your favourite sport, hobbies, or work after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. As always, consult your knee specialist for advice on your specific situation.

Do you have horrible knee pain?

If so, then it is a good idea to face the pain before it gets worse.

Read on for some helpful information and at the end we discuss some ways to help support your knee...

The Construction of the Knee

The knee is essentially a ball and socket joint at which the two leg bones of each leg are joined. These two bones are connected by a series of ligaments and tendons. The outside of the knee is covered by a plate of bone known as the kneecap or patella. Together, these components make up the knee.

The Role of the Patella

The patella serves the functions of protecting the knee. The knee joint is rather fragile as the tendons and ligaments holding the two bones together can be severed easily. The patella protects the knee joint from the impacts and blows that would otherwise affect the tendons and ligaments. While the patella is extremely hard and durable, it is not invulnerable. If the patella sustains a severe blow, it can get injured.

Horrible knee pain can be caused by a direct blow to the leg, or result from a degenerative condition that has culminated into a serious issue for you currently. If you have a ligament injury, arthritis, a meniscus tear, or some unknown cause of the pain, it is wise to consider supporting your knee.

How a Fractured Patella can cause Horrible Knee Pain

Even if the fractured patella is still intact and in a single piece, the cracks that it has received will weaken it significantly. Excessive movements will only cause further deterioration, accompanied by horrible knee pain as the slightest movement of the knee will cause the joint to rub against the patella. With a fractured patella, even the smallest movements are excruciating.

The Recovery Process

If you have a fractured patella, the road to recovery can be a long and hard one. Even with the proper medical care, you will find it almost impossible to walk for many months. When you do attempt to start walking again, you will more than likely experience horrible knee pain brought on by using muscles that have been weakened by several months of disuse. Supporting your patella with a knee brace can do a lot to help lessen the excruciating pain.

However, even when the patella has healed enough for you to walk, putting too much strain on the knee may cause it to fracture again. A knee brace will prevent this by taking much of the stress of walking away from the knee by helping to eliminate excessive movements.

Whether you have a fractured patella or another knee issue, a knee support can really prove to provide you with the support you need to get moving again with confidence. These supports do not have to be costly or big and bulky to provide you with additional and meaningful support.

Do you want a way to help you decrease your knee pain when you exercise? - Has the discomfort of your knee problem ever stopped you from pushing yourself the way you want to?

Introduction: If you like (or need) to exercise then you already know how very important your knees are! You are basically shut out of many forms of exercise if your knee pain is getting the better of you. This is no surprise. - At this point, you are probably looking for some answers. Well, this free information can help to present a very effective way to improve your knee support, and stability, while helping to decrease your knee pain. Ready?

1.) Every Knee Problem is Different

Let's continue to be real here. You already know that every person is made differently, and so are knee problems. They are all different as well. So, now what? - Well, we are setting the stage here for you. - Some knee problems are mild to moderate in terms of intensity, while others are severe. It is important for you to get in contact with a physician about your knee problems, because their medical advice will help guide you. This free health information about knee braces (below) will help you, but we are not your doctors.

2.) Best Knee Braces For Exercise

On a subjective level we all can also think about our knee problems. What level is your knee pain at on a scale 1-10? How about your knee instability? Rate your knee instability on a scale of 1-10 as well. This is really important stuff because it will help to guide you to the best exercise knee brace for you! - We do recommend that people error on the more serious side of the knee pain and instability issue, because you have to be ready with the best support available when things get bad.

Mild Knee Braces

These are usually made from elastic. Elastic braces are typically made from drytex or neoprene and are usually made in a sleeve like design, or a wrap around style. These supports will help to act as a reminder for you not to make certain and painful movements. The extra support can help to reduce your knee pain. It is important to note that if you have a moderate or severe knee condition, then you will need to bump up your support.

Moderate to Deluxe Knee Braces

After having rated your knee pain or instability, you may have come to a moderate or severe outcome. Well, in these cases you will most likely be looking for a knee brace that has hinges. Don't worry. These hinges do not make the brace uncomfortable, nor do they make it heavy. These hinges and uprights will help to provide improved support to your knee by helping you to avoid hurtful side to side movements, or front to back movements that will make your knee pain soar! - When you take this information to a knee brace website, remember that not all hinged knee braces are made the same so you will need to do a little research when you get there, but you are off to a great start!

The sport of running is supposed to be a relatively safe form of exercise, right? Then why is it that you have pain problems after you run!?

When you think about it, running is still a high impact activity where extreme pressure and strain are placed on the knee joints and the ligaments that help support the knee. The continuous and excessive pounding and stress on the knees can lead to common injuries such as ACL tears, MCL tears and meniscus tears.

While all runners will not necessarily develop these specific knee injuries, almost all runners will suffer from painful knees after running at some time in their career.

Are Painful Knees After Running A Sign Of Damaged Tissue?

If you have discomfort in your knees after running, this does not always mean that you will have a serious knee injury. Painful knees after a running can be a normal response known as "protective pain" coming from myofascial trigger points. This type of pain may feel as if it is radiating from the knee joint, but is actually the result of the contraction knots in the quadriceps muscles.

Common Injuries That Cause Painful Knees after Running

Running can put a lot of strain and pressure on the knee joint and the ligaments supporting the knee. You already know this to be true. As time goes on, this could develop into a number of more severe types of knee issues, including:

- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS): Also known as "Runner's Knee", this collectively refers to common problems afflicting runners, which includes common injuries like chondromalacia patella, patellar tendonitis, or generalized knee pain.

- Dislocated Kneecap: This condition causes acute symptoms during dislocation but can also cause chronic knee pain.

- Plica Syndrome: This knee issue results in discomfort along the lining of your knee joint. Some individuals have more prominent lining of the knee joint, and can form the so-called "plica shelf". The tissue can be come irritated and inflamed after running, and can cause pain for runners.

How Knee Braces Prevent Painful Knees After Running

Despite the often repeated advice to ease up on the "road running", most runners refuse to give up. For those who insist on running the extra mile without letting painful knees get in the way, there is a simple way of preventing painful knees after running.

Knee braces for running are specially designed to help the knee joints so that the stress and strain from constant pounding while running are reduced to a minimum. The functionality of a knee brace helps to ensure that potential damage to the knee joint and ligaments is avoided. Moreover, individuals who run should choose the right knee support that pertains to their particular needs. There are many low profile knee supports that allow for plenty of mobility, while also remaining light weight.

When choosing the appropriate knee brace, runners should first determine the conditions for which the knee brace will be used. Prophylactic knee supports are considered if you want to help "prevent" future knee problems. Functional knee braces, on the other hand, are used to compensate for a torn ligament and prevent further aggravation of knee injuries. - Nevertheless, you should not be in the position where you are looking back, wishing that you would have done something to help protect your knee. Supporting your knees with a brace is never a bad idea if you have pain in your knee joint.

Do you know how to train, and deal with a client that has a knee injury, or structural concern? Many trainers simply avoid the issue and work around the injury which needs to be addressed, and as a trainer, you will come across clients with previous and current musculoskeletal implications more often than not. Some of the most common knee injuries or conditions that you will encounter are, patellar tendonitis, patellar tracking dysfunction, chondromalacia patellae, torn meniscus, ACL, LCL, PCL, repair or reconstruction, knee replacements, genu recurvatum, etc...

Typically during your initial assessment and musculoskeletal evaluation with a new client you want to get as much information on the injury or injuries, but for now, we are going to focus on the knees since this is the topic. Find out when and how it happened, and what was the exact procedure and protocol for taking care of the knee. Did it require surgery, and did they go to physical therapy and for how long? Find out if the knee is still symptomatic, or maybe it is asymptomatic at this point.

If the client had a surgical repair or physical therapy, find out their progression from then until now. Contact the surgeon or physical therapist that worked with this client, as you can find exactly what was done, and how far their progression in physical therapy was. If you get a client that is still in physical therapy, then you're in good shape, as you can work in conjunction with the therapist. As a Strength and Conditioning Coach you want to take the client to the next level, beyond restoration. Your job is to strengthen and stabilize the knee, so it is more mechanically efficient and stronger than it was previously, and to minimize the likelihood of re-injury.

As the client steps down from physical therapy, and you take over, your job is to get the knee as stable as possible by focusing on strengthening all of the musculature of the hip girdle, core, and ankles. By this I mean that you need to strengthen all of the supporting musculature of the knee, not just the ones around the knee, but the musculature more proximal to the core, where the root of knee stability comes from. For example if I wanted to build a table with four legs, and each leg had a movable joint much like a knee, and I needed to attach the legs to the table top with nails and bolts. If I attached three of the legs with only one nail from the top, then attached the fourth leg with glue, a thick bolt from the top going down through the leg, and secured it with braces, the fourth leg would obviously be much more stable then the other three. Let's just say that all of the joints on the table legs were equally as stable, still the fourth leg would be much more stable than the others. Makes sense right? Well let's apply that concept to a client's hip and knee. You need to strengthen the hip adductors, abductors, hip flexors, hip extensors, gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and all core musculature as mentioned in an earlier article "The Lowdown on Abs". If these muscles are not strong then it is impossible for the knee to have good stability, even if the knee musculature is strong.

Typically seated machine leg extensions are contraindicated, because all of the pressure, and sheer force are directly on knee. Also any type of plyometric is as well, such as lunges and jump squats. As a note, utilizing knee wraps while training will only end up detraining stabilizing musculature. Some good choices of exercises to perform are hip flexion/ extension, hip abduction/adduction, standing TKE's, and proprioception drills on one leg. Don't forget about the ankle either. Perform soleus raises, calf raises, dorsi flexion, ankle inversion/eversion, and utilize a BAPS board.

If the client is still symptomatic and has a limited range of motion in the knee, less than 60 degrees, then you want to focus on strengthening all of the stabilizing muscles as mentioned above. As their range of motion increases, start incorporating compound multi joint exercises that include knee flexion. A good place to start is with a body weight ball squat, mini squats with adduction or abduction, light weight supine leg presses, and straight leg deadlifts. Another thing to keep in mind with compound lower body movements are to ensure that the clients feet are in the natural position in which they stand, and the feet stay flat on the surface you are working on. Make sure that the knees also follow a straight line in relation to the toes, and that they are not buckling in or outward. This is a good way to tear a meniscus. Take a look and evaluate their mechanics of how they initiate movement in the knee. Watch your client perform a ball or simple squat if they can do so and make sure they are initiating the movement from the hips, rather than the knees. You always want to place the greatest load on the bigger muscle groups first. Initiated from the hips and the knee follows. The knee can go slightly past the toe in flexion, as long as the heel is not lifting up off the floor. If you watch an athlete perform a front squat, the knees will most likely pass over the toe somewhat at the bottom range of the exercise. This is normal mechanics. If you try doing a squat below 90 degrees it is almost impossible not to do so, especially with individuals with long femurs. Try doing a single leg squat, and see what happens. If you want to believe otherwise about the toe not allowed to surpass the knee, then enjoy moving around like a robot.

You also need to ensure that the client has a proper quadriceps to hamstring strength ratio of 3:2, and testing the flexibility ranges of the lower extremities so they are within biomechanical norms. A good way to test lower body flexibility is to utilize the Thomas Test Position, and supine position on a treatment table. If you cannot make a good estimation of degrees, utilize a goniometer. Normal minimal ranges of motion are as follows, hamstring flexibility 90 degrees, glutes 135 degrees, abduction 45 degrees, dorsi flexion 20 degrees, quadriceps 135 degrees, knee extension should be at least 0 degrees or up to 10 degrees past 0, and internal/external rotation of knee is normally 10 degrees to each side. In a Thomas Test Position, hip flexors knee just below line of anterior illiac crest, quads 90 degrees ROM, and Iliotibial band where lateral side of knee is in line with hip.

As the client progresses in strength and flexibility, and can perform compound multi joint exercises with a full range of motion without pain, then it is a good time to teach them eccentric loading techniques. A good place to start is by doing step ups and enforcing good eccentric loading in the landing phase of exercise. Once mastered then they can move into lunges and entry-level plyometrics as discussed in "The Rules of Gravity: Plyometrics".

In the end, tight or weak muscles will ultimately compromise knee stability, and most likely lead to some kind of injury, and as a final note, these are just basic guidelines for working with an injured knee. If you are not sure what to do, talk to a physical therapist, Athletic Trainer, or Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Our knee joints require the assistance of a dedicated set of muscles and connective tissues to function effectively. Side knee pain is caused when there is an injury to the tissues supporting the knee joint. The swelling and inflammation in these connective tissues result in a continuous throbbing pain that is low in intensity but does not go away immediately. Minor strains and muscle spasms cause a continuous ache in the sides of the knee. When the cause of this kind of pain is identified, you have to immediately discontinue the set of activities that could have triggered the pain.

Before approaching health care professionals for specialized treatments, you can try resting your knee for a short period while simultaneously applying soothing liniment to ease out the fatigue from the affected tissue groups. This allows the injured tissues to heal. You should consult a medical practitioner if the side knee pain does not subside or recurs when you begin your active schedule after the period of rest.

Sometimes the pain may spread to a wider area around the knee joint than that damaged by the injury. In these cases the side knee pain becomes worse when you move your leg. This is followed by stiffness and finally the knee becomes swollen restricting movements of the knee joints.

Your body weight is also an important contributing factor in determining the health of the load bearing joints in your body. If you are overweight, you can try to reduce the fat content in your body as this is beneficial in reducing the strain on the knee joints and the supporting muscle groups. This could reduce the instances of side knee pain in your future life.

If the symptoms associated with side knee pain are interfering with your daily activities, it is best to get the advice of a recovery expert who will recommend appropriate imaging tests to study the condition of the muscle groups around the knee. The modern imaging tests can detect micro tears in the muscles and minimally invasive procedures using robot assisted surgical tools can be performed to repair the tissue without requiring extensive stays at hospitals.

The benefit of these invasive techniques is that you will not experience side knee pain for quite some time in your life if you adhere to the follow up conditioning schedule to maintain the peak condition of the muscles that support your knee joint.

The older my parents get - in fact the older any of my relatives get - the harder it is to find a holiday gift that they could really use. I usually end up getting them a gift certificate for a meal out, or some useless trinket that will sit on their coffee table collecting dust - which they then have to clean. I missed the opportunity two years ago to give my mother (and father) something that they could have really used and that they'd both be raving about to this day - a knee replacement surgery in New Zealand.

You heard me... a knee replacement surgery in New Zealand. See my mother had knee replacement surgery about two years ago and it gave her life back. She's able to go on walks, travel, bounce my youngest daughter on her knees; things she couldn't do two years ago. They had money set aside and could afford the surgery.

They were lucky. With the cost of orthopedic medical procedures climbing and wait times increasing, they would likely have been priced out of the surgery today.

This got me thinking. If I knew then what I know now; that health tourism can be a fantastic alternative to high priced surgery in the States; and that it can be safe, convenient and fun at the same time I'd have likely pulled the trigger. My parents have been to New Zealand before and raved about its beauty, the friendly people, the great food and sights. You see, New Zealand also just happens to be a growing mecca for orthopedic related surgeries that are affordable - we're talking 40 percent less or more! And there's financial assistance available through third party financing setup especially for just such trips.

You'll want to do your homework obviously. This won't be a surprise gift to anyone nor should it be. Research the facilities and providers, check testimonials of other patients, and find out all you can about the surgeons. There are online health tourism sites that do a good job of detailing the process and procedures, and some of them have some decent surgery offers to help you make your decision easier. You'll also want to make sure that you steer clear of destinations that may not be suitable for the elderly or less adventurous. You'll certainly want them coming back rested, relaxed, healed and healthy!

Oh well... I guess this year I'll just have to settle for my gift certificate fallback and some pictures of the kids.

Knee pain which comes on gradually for no apparent reason is probably the most frustrating type of knee pain. Not only is it frustrating not to know what has caused your pain, but this type of knee pain can also be more difficult to treat effectively. This is usually due to a combination of causative factors which must all be corrected to deal with the problem effectively.

Here is our list of the most common causes of gradual onset knee pain:

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition which affects the cartilage lining the ends of bones within a joint. It is sometimes also referred to as 'wear and tear'. It is most common in those over the age of 50 and especially in people with a history of previous knee injuries. It can occur in any joint, but is most common in weight bearing joints such as the knee and hip.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Also known as anterior knee pain or patella mal-tracking. This is where the knee cap moves excessively towards the outside of the knee, rather than running in its groove. This can cause damage to the cartilage lining the underside of the kneecap. Symptoms include vague pain at the front of the knee which is worst when going down hill or stairs and after exercise.

Osgood schlatters

Osgood schlatters disease occurs in adolescent sports players. It causes pain below the knee and a lump to develop at the attachment of the patella tendon into the shin bone. It is most common in those going through a growth spurt whilst also playing lots of sport. Treatment involves rest or at least modification of activity, as well as ice, stretching and massage.

Jumper's knee

More accurately known as patella tendonitis. This is a degenerative condition affecting the tendon which connects the kneecap to the shin bone. It is aggravated by repetitive jumping or bounding and pain gradually builds up. It may initially only cause pain during activity but may become painful even at rest.

IT band syndrome

Also known as runner's knee. This is an inflammatory condition causing pain and tenderness at the outside of the knee, where the IT band moves back and forth over the lateral condyle of the Femur. This is common in runners and cyclists where the knee is repeatedly bent and straightened.

Please visit our knee pain page on sportsinjuryclinic.net for more injuries which could be causing your knee pain!

First, if you are in pain, SOMETHING IS WRONG. The challenge with most doctors is that they are to arrogant to say, " I cannot find the reason for your pain (or symptoms)!" This would be an honest answer, but would also point out the limitations of the doctors.

Did you know that at least 40 percent of the diagnosis are incorrect. What is a diagnosis? It is a "guess" at what a "person" "thinks" might be" wrong with you. Listen to each of these words and grasp the reality of what they mean. It is not the doctors fault, it is just the reality of medicine. The same symptoms can point to a dozen different condition, or more. Is it a cold or bronchitis, is it a chest pain from indigestion or a hear attack, is it a headache or a brain tumor? This are the differences that a complaint or symptoms might be concluded as being.

It has sadly been shown that there are still patients who take the word of the doctor as infallible, no matter how many other explanations. Elderly women have been told that their joint is "bone on bone" and therefore MUST HAVE surgery or a knee replacement. In reality there is still space and it is not bone on bone and the joint can be in many cases "rehabilitated" and not require a replacement which is dangerous, many times unsuccessful and PERMANENT! Once you have had the knee replaced you cannot go back to dealing with the arthritic condition which might have been helped with other procedures.

Isn't it amazing that a doctor can say there is nothing wrong and then pick up there pen and paper and prescribe a drug which will do harm to the stomach, kidneys and liver? If there is truly nothing wrong, why the symptoms and why not admit to the limitation of your profession and seek other directions that might have other answers like nutritional supplements that in the long term may improve the healing of the condition by "helping" the body and not doing more damage just covering the symptoms? Why not have a second opinion, not of someone in the same profession but from someone in a different field?

But that would be like going to a Ford dealer and when the customer was not totally sold on the product to suggest they go look at a Chevy. We are always thinking that doctors are gods, or at the least philanthropists who would always be looking out for your best interest. That is not the case and the only one who can look out for you is YOU!

YOU need to know that doctors are "limited" about their knowledge. They went to college for their 8-12 years but they learned about only their field, not the field of their competition.

It is always amazing when a patient will complain about going to a medical doctor and all he wanted to do was give them drugs! Yes? And you were expecting? Of course they were going to recommend drugs... what is their title? M... medical (drugs)...D... doctor, that is what they know and what they will recommend. A surgeon will recommend surgery, a nutritionist will recommend nutrition, and a chiropractor will talk about adjusting you. This is what they have their knowledge, in their field. And the patient seems to always be surprised.

Patients want to believe that the doctor will recommend other fields as if he/she knew everything about every profession and what might help the individual patient. That is not reality. The patient, you, have to educate yourself about your body, what it might need and then HIRE a doctor to "teach" you about what they do, how it "might" help you, and then you have to make the decision. You do not have to take the drugs, have the surgery or get your spine adjusted, IF you are not in agreement.

If the doctor says there is nothing wrong and you know you are in pain or something is going on where you are experiencing symptoms, then you and not the doctor are going to have to seek addition assistance and not expect the doctor to automatically tell you to go to the herbalist, or the therapist, or even a chiropractor. You are going to have to make that choice.

This keeps being said and will have to be said again and again. You are responsible for your health and you are responsible for a lot of the outcome. If you go to a medical doctor and take the medication and get symptoms of some side effect or the medications do not work, you have a responsibility to let the doctor know. Most doctors do not know the amount of failure in their treatment because the patient does not tell them. This is sad, for the patient and for the doctor. It is also sad for other people who will continue the treatment you have taken as if it really worked because the doctor assume that your silence means you are doing better and you have gotten well.

Do you realize that most patients do not tell their doctor about outside treatment? And example, many patients will go to their doctor with back pain and will be prescribed a muscle relaxant, and maybe an anti-inflammatory medication. They may even take it, or they may not even have the prescription filled because they were looking for something other than drugs from their medical doctor (this is the un-real concept that many patients have mentioned before), but even if they take the medication and it does not work or only gives temporary relief, they may go to an acupuncturist or better yet, a chiropractor.

There they will have greater success with the treatment and their condition is improved or resolved. The shame is that the medical doctor assumes you are taking the medication, that your are doing well because of the medication, and that HE has cured you!

This is again unfair to the doctor and his other patients. Most doctor do not know that their patient is seeing other services because they are not told. Some are not told because of their own attitude or egos. Patient would like to confide in their doctors, but some have told the doctor that they have been to another professional and the doctor gets upset or belittles the other profession placing the patient's judgment in question and to the embarrassment of the patient, they will say nothing the next time.

It is a wise doctor who seeks out the answers to the benefit of their patients and works for that purpose. It is a good doctor who works with other professionals and seeks the best for their patients, but, back to reality. You have so much care being offered by HMOs and they generally do not have alternative health care services or if they do, it is very restricted and/or limited.

Until the professions become more professional, it is going to have to be the patients who make the choices. It is going to have to be the patients who educate themselves. In truth, this is a very good thing. The more educated you become about what is available to you the better you will be to make choices for your best results. These choices may save you a lot of pain, a lot of many, and could even save... your life!

Do you suffer from severe knee and leg pain?

We hope you don't, but if you do then it is time to face this problem.

Severe knee and leg pain usually occurs as a result of sudden twisting or straining motions of the knee or leg. These injuries range from torn knee ligaments, torn knee cartilage, fractured knees and ruptured tendons in the knees. Severe knee and leg discomfort from knee injuries can be debilitating. Most people who sustain such injuries will find that even a simple activity like walking can cause excruciating pain. Can you relate?

Common Causes of Acute Knee Injuries

Acute knee injuries are almost always the result of sports. When playing high impact sports such as rugby, soccer or basketball, it is very easy to sustain a knee injury. When players become physical, it is easy for a knee to sustain a twisting force. These twisting forces unfortunately can lead to knee sprains or ruptured tendons. This occurs when the tendons or ligaments in the knee are twisted beyond their ability to stretch.

Severe knee and leg pain may also come from much other unfortunate circumstances. Tripping and falling down hard on your knees, for example, can easily cause knee fractures. The kneecap, which consists of bone that covers the knee joint, can fracture if hit hard enough. When all of your weight falls on your kneecaps, it can be easy for them to fracture or for a ligament injury to happen.

Preventing Acute Knee Injuries

While preventing all acute knee injuries is nearly impossible, there are some precautionary measures that you could take:

Strive to Increase Flexibility: An excellent way to help prevent strains and tears is to strive to make yourself more flexible. Muscles that are more flexible can stretch more and are capable of tolerating a higher twisting force before the ligaments and tendons rupture or tear.

Work towards Losing Weight: Another factor to take into consideration is your weight. If you are overweight, then you are much more likely to sustain knee injuries. This is because the force of your weight acting on your knees is that much greater. If you are overweight, it is crucial for the health of your knees that you embark upon a weight loss program.

Wear Proper Footwear: Proper footwear is extremely important. The right shoes will help you gain traction on the field, and prevent you from slipping and falling on wet terrain.

Wear a Knee Brace: A knee brace can also be very helpful in preventing knee injuries. Knee braces are fit around your knee and help to support it. They flex easily and will not hinder your movement during physical activities. They do not have to be big and bulky, nor expensive to help provide meaningful support to your knee. In the end, it is important that you do not look back, wondering what you could have done to help protect your knee.