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Information from this article sourced from an
interview with:
Fabio Comana
Exercise Physiologist
MA., MS., ACE CPT & LWMC, ACSM HFI, CSCS,
CISSN
While some knee injuries will occur, people
can take
steps to avoid some knee injuries, especially
during
exercise.
While an ACL tear is one of the most common
exercise-
related injury, it is not the only knee
damage that can put
a stop to normal daily activities. An
alphabet-soup of
tears and sprains, tendinitis, etc. can hit
people who do
not approach exercise with proper training and
technique.
Why are the knees so vulnerable to injury? A
fairly stable
hinge joint, the knee simply reacts to the
ankle and hip
joint, making the knee vulnerable to injury
if those two
joints fall out of alignment.
"Knee injuries hit women more frequently then
men," said
Exercise Physiologist Fabio Comona. "This is
the result
of women's wider hips, shorter bones, smaller
surface
areas for ligament attachment, greater joint
laxity and
weaker muscles."
Particular vulnerable are younger women
playing sports
and overweight individuals tend to have
higher incidence
of joint issues, Comana said.
Still, all people should focus on the steps
that will
decrease their chances of a knee injury.
Crucial to
locomotion, Comana emphasizes an ounce of knee-
injury prevention certainly beats a pound of
(surgical)
cure:
- Warn up before exercising
- Utilize proper technique. Pay particular
attention to
proper mechanics during squats and lunges; check
with your trainer to make sure you are
performing
them properly.
- Include knee-strengthening exercises in your
workout. Strengthening the glutes,
hamstrings, quads
and calves can help knees stay injury-free.
Again, ask
a trainer for what is best for you.
- Some people need to avoid some
traditional leg
extension machines that are demanding on the
knee
joint.
- Remember that muscle soreness can result
from a
rigorous workout, but pain in the knee joint
means it is
injured and needs to be diagnosed by a
doctor.
- After the workout, take a few moments to
stretch
muscles crossing the knee joint.
In reality, many trainers lack training in
the mechanics of
the knee. Don't be afraid to ask the trainer
about his/her
expertise in this area and don't be afraid to
consult others
to make sure your exercise mechanics and
approach
preserve your knees.
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