The biggest complaint that athletes in Orem have is knee injuries. Some of the most common ones are runner’s knee, sprained ligaments, tendinitis, and meniscus tears. An old injury that hasn’t healed completely can easily recur from time to time or hurt all the time.
The usual culprit for knee problem is running. If you’re going to ask an athlete how the injury happened, you will get the usual answer that it was caused by running. Knowing how prevalent this problem is, there are ways you can prevent it.
Improve Joint Mobility
One of the most important things that you can do is to improve the mobility of your joint through stretching. Don’t just limit it with the knee; you have to include the hips and the ankle as well. If there is a restriction in the range of motion in these areas, it’s likely to affect your knees as well.
Remember to combine both static and dynamic stretching. Studies have shown that pre-warm up static stretches for 10-15 seconds are excellent in keeping the muscles prepared for knee loading motions. On the other hand, dynamic stretching is excellent in preparing for the activity that you want to do because it closely mimics it in a controlled manner.
Proper Warm Up
It’s important to prepare your heart, lungs, and muscles for the strenuous activity ahead. Instead of coming out cold, engage in dynamic warm-up that raises your temperature and increases blood flow throughout your body. This will prepare not only the major organs but the knee as well, preventing a lot of potential injuries.
Cool Down
After the activity, avoid sitting down immediately. Taking the bench shortly after hearing the whistle can cause the knee to stiffen up and inflame. Instead, take a walk or a slow jog to keep your breathing under control and your heart rate to slowly get back to normal.
Maintaining flexibility in your hips and ankle can significantly minimize the risk of knee related injuries. Even when you’re not actively joining athletic activities, maintaining flexibility in those areas is crucial. Since flexibility becomes more challenging as people age, it’s better that you start early.