Whether you consider yourself an active or inactive person, you need your knees. Knee stability prevents injuries during physical activities, even an activity as mild as walking to the kitchen. Sometimes it can take a minor movement and one quick pivot to causes searing knee pain. Exercising and taking care of your knees can be a great path to general stability and balance of the body. Feel like you're in need of some tips? Well, here they are.
The Structure
Expert Jasmine Marcus, a PT, DPT, and CSCS explains how crucial the knee is. Taking care of four major ligaments that help keep the knee stable is imperative for knee stability. These are; the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL); the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL); the medial collateral ligament (MCL); and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). You also have to take into account the joint capsule, menisci, and muscles that surround this major joint.
Warm-ups
A surefire way to damage your knees is diving straight into a workout. Make sure you warm up those knee joints by getting them moving and increasing circulation. You can do this by doing bodyweight lunges, butt kicks, high knees, or squats.
Exercises
According to Marcus, the best things to do for your knees are squats and lunges. These exercises strengthen the muscles that are used for knee function. One can also choose to add weights to your workouts. Watch out for high impact activities like jumping, running, and climbing flights of stairs, these are known to put pressure on your knees.
The Takeaway
Remember, all joint strength not only prevent injuries but improves mobility in general. As you age, your joints become increasingly more brittle, making you more susceptible to structural problems. It's best to take care of them as much as you can now. You won't regret it!