Monterey Joint - Ryan Ranch Knee Pain Prevention

Weight management techniques | Diet | Exercise | Techniques to prevent sport injuries| Equipment

Weight management techniques
The aforementioned key to keeping a knee problem at bay is to stay relatively active and eat right. Current research shows that 56% of Americans are overweight, and 25% are classified as obese. This is bad news for our knees.

Let's talk BMI, or body mass index. BMI is the number you come up with when you divide how much you weigh in kilograms by how tall you are in centimeters squared. A BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered normal. A BMI above 25 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is classified as obesity. To find your BMI, there are several calculators on the Internet including the BMI recommendations from the Surgeon General.
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Diet
Losing weight can provide some instant relief for the knees. Although we are constantly inundated with new diet fads, remember that logically, the way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than we burn, and the way to maintain weight is to take in approximately the same number of calories that we burn. This method can be harder to follow than it is to understand, and once we build healthy habits, this lifestyle will become easier and easier to maintain. Some diets help you to do this. Others are shams. Be cautious. Anything that seems too good to be true probably is.

If you have arthritis, there are pain aggravators that should be avoided. For instance, paprika, pepper, tobacco, cayenne, eggplant and large amounts of potatoes and tomatoes can antagonize your arthritis since these foods have alkaloids that prevent the repair of collagen and cartilage. Aspartame (found in diet sodas and artificial sweeteners) can also worsen arthritis, since it can cause inflammation in the joints when regularly consumed.

There are health benefits from eating a diet rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates found in vegetables, whole wheat and fruits. Once again, knees also benefit from this diet.
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Exercise
It is also important to incorporate exercise into your routine if you have knee pain. Although it may seem like a catch-22 (you can't exercise because your knee hurts, but your knee hurts more because you can't exercise), strengthening the leg muscles can be crucial in alleviating knee pain. The more support the muscles can offer, the less stress and pain you will encounter. Please refer to our online exercise library, which will show you several knee strengthening exercises. Also, if your knee hurts and you want to start up an exercise routine, why not try a stationary bike or swimming? While running or stair climbing can be taxing to the knees, the stationary bike and swimming are both excellent cardiovascular activities that only place minimal pressure on the knees.
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Looking before you leap and other ways to prevent knee injuries
It is ironic that while movement can cause knee pain, movement can also prevent and alleviate knee pain. By bending and stretching, the muscles are lubricated and perform better. Exercise also helps us stay in shape and at a healthy weight keeping the knees strong. Below, we have listed techniques you can use to prevent an injury related to various sports categories.

Snow skiing
With ski injuries accounting for 137,000 emergency room visits a year (and 34 deaths), it's important to take preventive measures before hitting the slopes to make sure you don't become part of the statistic. The key thing to remember is bindings, bindings, bindings. Proper bindings will improve your performance and stability while easing up on your knees. Not only is it important to have the right binding, but the way it is adjusted is crucial as well. Beginner skiers should have a looser bind, while more advanced skiers may have more secure bindings that relate to the aggressive terrain they ski. There have been dramatic technological changes in the past few years, making bindings older than a couple of years obsolete.

To build your endurance, start preparing three months in advance. Build up your cardiovascular strength, since mountain air is thinner, making it more taxing to breathe. And, if you get tuckered out, chances are you may become more sloppy and prone to injury.

Statistics have also shown that, traditionally, snowboarders have fewer knee injuries than skiers. (Snowboarders, conversely, have lots of wrist injuries.) So snowboarding might double as a fun alternative to skiing if you have knee problems.

Below are the skier's responsibility code designed to prevent accidents before they happen as outlined by the National Ski Areas Association:

Always stay in control, and be able to stop and avoid other people or objects.
People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or where you are not visible from above.
Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
Prior to using a lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride, and unload safely.

Water skiing
For water skiers, knee pain can stem from the vibration of the water underneath the ski. Just as with snow skiing, the right binding is crucial for preventing injury. Depending on what you want to do on the water, there are different bindings to use. Generally, a slalom skier will want to have a lot of ankle support, which in turn will support the knee when cutting across the wake.

A few months before water ski season, begin working out to prepare yourself. For instance, stretching out your muscles daily and improving cardiovascular performance will not only help you ski stronger and harder, it can help prevent injury. When lifting weights, an all over tone is important, but focus on key muscles that may not normally be utilized such as the forearms, and trapezoids. If you have a strong upper balance as you cross over the wake, your knees won't have to bear all of the brunt of the impact. For those who use two skis, be careful and if possible, you may want to learn how to slalom.

Wakeboarding
After dramatically increasing in popularity over the past few years, wakeboarding certainly deserves an honorable mention in this section. In preventing knee pain, the binding is the most crucial part of wakeboarding. The way you board will determine the type of binding, how tight it is and at what angle it is put on the board. There can be a lot of unnatural knee twisting and strain, especially for beginners. To be prepared, build up your calf muscle strength and flexibility. Also, arm strength is imperative to prevent knee injuries.

Basketball
Basketball can be damaging to the knees, not so much from running up and down the court as from landing in an uncomfortable way. So, weekend warriors, to avoid sprains and tears, try playing less aggressively.

Football
Football and other impact sports are highly dangerous to the knees,— especially if you are on offense and the one being tackled. Most tackles are directed AT the knees with impacts from all sides. Worse, there is not much you can do to prevent injury, as hard side impacts will damage any knee.

Soccer
Although, this sport is not as popular in the United States as it is in other parts of the world, it is important to mention. Soccer is great in that it works the cardiovascular system very hard. While soccer players are not being tackled, the knees do take abuse from constant running, stopping, abrupt turning and kicking. ACL and meniscus tears are common.

Golf
Golf can be a great way to keep the knees strong, especially if you forgo the golf cart and walk the course. To lighten your bag, try to carry fewer clubs. Even if you use them all, there are some that you might not hit as well with, such as the 2-iron, the 3-iron or the 4-iron. Sometimes, knee pain may be caused by a poor swing. If your knees hurt after playing golf, talk to a golf pro who can show you ways to swing that lessen the role of your knees in your swing.

Click here to download our Golfer's Ten Program.

Tennis
Tennis can also be hard on your knees with the sudden changes in direction required by aggressive play—especially in singles tennis. Recreational doubles tennis, on the other hand, can be great exercise and less risky to your knees.

Running
Running can be quite hard on the meniscus pads in the knees, especially when running long distances. After a while, the shock-absorbing meniscus pads wear out and tear. This is particularly true of those who are overweight.

Walking
Walking can be a great form of cardiovascular exercise and is relatively easy on the knees. A brief walk for 30 minutes can push you as hard as it would a jogger and with less pressure to the knees.

Biking
Also better for the knees, biking can be a great cardiovascular activity. To prevent biking injuries, try to increase your range of motion beforehand. You can do this by lying on your back, putting your feet in the air and pedaling. This will increase your range of motion without the pressure of your body weight.

Swimming
Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise that is also harmless to the knees (with the exception of those who have kneecap pain or patellar tendinitis). It puts almost no pressure on your knees, and you can push yourself aerobically as hard as you can handle.
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The right equipment will help prevent injury

Shoes
If you run a lot, buy great shoes. Shoes that cost $150 are a small price to pay, since the alternative could cost you more, and the pain simply isn't worth it. Basically, buy the best shoes for whatever sport you are doing. Try to find a store with someone who will watch you on a treadmill and offer recommendations. Are you a pronater? A supinater? Finding this out will help you find shoes that compensate for any instability, thus alleviating potential stress on your knees. Shoes can be deceptive. Don't buy a shoe because it looks stylish. Purchase for function rather than fashion.

Knee braces
Knee braces serve different purposes. Some improve your kneecap stability, while others prevent lateral movement in the knee. Overall, the knee brace mostly supports only a side-to-side movement as opposed to a rotational movement. Mentally, the knee brace serves as a reminder that the knee is not fully healed and to be careful not to hurt it further.

On the flip side, while the brace certainly provides support, it can also act as a crutch, which can prevent the leg from strengthening crucial muscles. Long term, the goal is to make the knee strong enough to work without artificial support.

Certain types of braces are needed for specific injuries. For ACL tears that are treated without surgery, a 'derotation' brace customized for the individual should be used. For kneecap stability, a special brace needs to be used. Also, for the arthritic knee, a basic Neoprene brace can be helpful. Be sure to consult a physician to find out what type of brace (if one is needed at all) you should use.

Knee pads
Over the past, decade roller blades have become quite popular. Kids are constantly trying to improve on a jump or learn a new trick. To stay safe, it is important to wear knee pads in addition to a helmet for overall protection from falls. Although not as "fashionable," knee pads could help prevent a serious injury such as breaking the knee cap during a hard fall.
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