It's important to try and avoid any injury while exercising but I wanted to focus on the knees because the knees are one of the most injury prone parts of the body. I've been told that knee surgery is no joke and from the description I got, it sounds pretty harsh.
The Most Common Types of Knee Injuries
Any type of knee pain should not be ignored. Even if it is minor, it is a good idea to have it checked out by a doctor.
- Runner's Knee (Patello-femoral Pain Syndrome) - This injury originally meant that the cartilage under the kneecap has become soft, however, over time it is now used to describe any type of pain that occurs in the front of the knee. The causes vary but the primary cause is overuse.
- Ligament Injuries - These are more serious injuries and may require knee surgery depending on the extent of the injury. The most common ligament injury in athletes is the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Others include the PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) and MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament.)
- Patella Fracture - A broken knee cap which means some type of force was applied to the knee strong enough to fracture it. It could be just a crack or the knee cap could be shattered.
- Patella Tendonitis (Jumpers Knee) - This injury can occur with constant jumping and landing movements. The patella tendon becomes strained and over time the damage can cause inflammation.
How You Can Prevent Knee Injuries
There are various ways to help prevent knee injuries depending on your situation. Here is a list of things you may want to consider to help protect your knees.
- Stretch daily and improve flexibility
- Strengthen quadricep and hamstring muscles
- Wear good running shoes
- Avoid activites that require jolting movements
- Weight reduction (excess weight causes pressure on the knees)
- Protect your knees with knee pads when needed
- Use proper form when exercising
- Switch to low-impact activites
Get more information at: Knee pain: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com
