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The knee is a complex system, with multiple ligaments working in conjunction with one another, so it does not take much to throw everything out of whack. Most people are familiar with knee issues through sports, whether that be from personal experience, or hearing about running backs tearing their ACL, but we have listed out some of the most common knee injuries:
The Runner’s Stretch is one of the most common stretches we do before exercise. The Runner’s Stretch is where you pull your foot back to your butt to stretch your thigh. While this stretch does stretch your thigh, it can actually jam your kneecap and cause pain in your knee.
While detasseling is a rite of passage for many – and a job that many teens pick up summer after incredibly hot summer – it’s always good to review some of the dangers (injury and illness) associated with this particular activity. Regardless of whether or not detasseling is “old hat” to you, or if you/your teen is a detasseling newbie, it’s always good to know the safety basics.
Osteoarthritis – a disease that progressively destroys the cartilage that serves as a “shock absorber” within our joints – is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. That’s because, as the cartilage in an affected joint is worn down, the joint becomes stiff and painful and may even result in loss of movement.
Let’s start with mobility. When it comes to mobility, it’s important to note that adequate mobility is a huge factor in being able to run fast AND stay healthy. Why is this? Well, if you don’t have complete range of motion throughout your lower body, you will be MUCH more susceptible to injury. Plus, obtaining optimal mobility allows you to improve performance as well as cover more ground – remember, stride frequency and stride length are the two factors that determine running speed. Maintaining flexibility and mobility via proper methods of stretching to lengthen muscles can go a LONG way toward helping all of the above.
Heel striking – being a heavy heel striker is common in those with a slower running cadence because of the simple fact that their body mechanics are not allowing them to perform at their maximum potential because, when you’re striking with your heels it tends to mean your hips are behind your feet, so to speak. Not sure what we’re referring to? Well, think of is this way – your hips HAVE to be over your feet to propel you forward (which is the point of running, right?) but, if your feet are in front of your hips you won’t ever be able to effectively propel yourself forward.
As discussed previously, an overuse injury is any type of injury that is caused by repetitive trauma and includes injuries like stress fractures and tendinitis. Overuse injuries tend to occur because of training errors.
For as high impact and collision prone of a sport as soccer is, the amount of protective gear worn by the players is pretty minimal. Shin guards, obviously, are paramount, because they protect the lower leg. In fact, it’s been shown time and again that a good portion of the lower leg injuries that occur in soccer are due to inadequate shin guards. Aside from mouth guards and the occasional lightly padded gear that goal keepers often wear to protect themselves from obscene amounts of turf burn, shin guards are pretty much “it” when it comes to protective gear and soccer players.
Often times, it’s the first 24 hours after surgery that surprise people the most. Why is that? Well, because both your orthopaedic surgeon and your physical therapy team will want you to start the process of getting out of bed and taking your first steps with your new knee (typically with a walker). Your physical therapists will teach you how to do things like how to get in and out of bed, how to get out of a chair, and the best way to manage stairs.
Runner’s knee can affect one or both knees and is often seen in younger, recreational runners (and twice as many women as men – this is due to the fact that women tend to have wider hips), which results in a greater angling of the thighbone to the knee which, in turn, puts the kneecap(s) under more stress. Symptoms of runner’s knee include tenderness behind or around the patella (knee cap), usually toward its center. You may feel pain toward the back of the knee, a sense of cracking or that the knee’s giving out. The condition tends to worsens when athletes run uphill, downhill, or up and down stairs. A popping sensation is sometimes audible. In the worst cases, the knee may swell.