Remember a time where you called your knee’s left and right, instead of good and bad? For some reason or another, the knee tends to be the joint that becomes most painful over time. Knee pain can be debilitating and it can stop you from doing the things you love most. There are many reasons a knee may become painful, but the good news is, there is hope! Here are just a few examples of knee pain, and some ways you can help reduce it!
Knee Pain When Running
The knee joint may become aggravated if there is too much demand put on it. In the case of running, often when knee pain arises, the problem is usually an imbalance of muscles that are working around the knee. Usually the quadriceps muscle of the thigh is the one that is overworking. A common mistake runners make is they don’t do enough lower body strength training. This is a must! Make sure your strength program is well balanced working on both the anterior and posterior parts of your legs. If you don’t have a good strength program, get one! The team of Strength Coaches at Alpha Sports Medicine can design a tailored knee strength program specifically for you.
Knee Pain When Squatting
If you’re a regular in the gym and your finding your squats are causing you pain, the worst thing you could do is avoid squatting. The squat is a key functional movement that is used every time you sit on a chair, so it’s not something that should be avoided! Instead, you can try adjust your technique. Try trading your squat for a box squat and keep your shins vertical. This should decrease the stress going through the knee and make your hips work harder during your squat! Did someone say booty?
Knee Pain at the End of the Day!
If you find at the end of the day your knees are swollen and achey, there are a few things you can do to help ease the pain. You can try icing your knees at the end of the day, this can help decrease inflammation and decrease the pain. You can also try foam rolling your quadriceps muscle in the front of your thigh. You’ll find some nice tight spots in there that you can self release!
The key with knee pain is understanding the root cause of the problem. The Osteopaths at Alpha are trained in diagnosing knee conditions and can help you understand how better to manage your pain. Make knee pain a thing of the past!
