In the first post on “Knee Health” ( READ HERE ) I alluded to 2 things that were “no bueno”:
- Not having a specific diagnosis (aka not knowing what specific bodily “tissues” were problematic.)
- Resting (…for about a month).
A little background is in order!
The featured picture up top ^ is one of my knee joint models.
Here is a picture depicting the (in)side view of a left knee. The back of the body, therefore, is the left side of the picture and the front of the body is facing right. Got it?
1. Femur (aka “thigh bone”)
2. Tibia (aka “shin bone”)
3. Patellar tendon (aka tendon to the quadriceps), in part (it has been cut away)
[Not pictured: Patella (aka “knee cap”), which is a sesamoid (think small) bone attached to the patellar tendon (riiiiiight behind #3 in the picture) and glides along the bottom of the femur.
The “knee” primarily involves 3 bones: femur, tibia and patella.
Think of the knee as a hinge joint…like a door hinge; it allows movement around the axis that is either opening or closing. Your knee is the same way. The angle is either opening or closing…bending or straightening…flexing or extending. It doesn’t rotate or shift side to side.
What happens if the door is not aligned and you try and shift it to the side as you’re opening it?
What happens to your knee when you’re trying to bend it (say, in a squat or lunge position) and it turns (shifts &/or or rotates) inward or, less commonly, outward? And you do that several times…for several years?
Exactly!
Now add to this scenario your body weight (plus maybe a few extra pounds), a lack of strengthening exercises or program, history of any other orthopedic problems or injuries, or just simply being a woman (wider hips, less strength, hormones, etc….darn it!) and it’s easy to see why knee problems are one of the (if not “THE”) most common musculoskeletal issues.
But there’s MORE to it, and there’s more that you could be doing to prevent issues or lessen the problems if you’ve already been there/done that…
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STILL COMING UP: Some possible treatment options for you to learn about!
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Any questions?
Have YOU experienced any issues with your knees?
