Knees – Part 1
By: Brad Hankins
Our knees have carried us well through long work days, summer hikes, chasing children, and leg tiring sports. However, wear and tear can bring joint pain, limited weight bearing and restricted knee movement which can in turn limit our enjoyment of life. These issues are common enough that in the older member population I work with finding someone with two well-functioning original equipment knees is somewhat rare. Let’s take take a look at knees, some of the more common knee injuries and what can we do to improve our knee health.
The knee is the biggest joint in the body https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24777-knee-joint , made up of four bones, two cruciate ligaments, two collateral ligaments, two types of cartilage and a number of muscles, tendons and nerves. Having knees, you have no doubt noted the knee is a hinge joint with the ability to withstand a slight amount of side-to-side rotation. A hinge joint is also a type of synovial joint meaning the joint has freedom to move, in this case like a door, and is self lubricating via the membranes lining the joint.
One of most common knee injuries is arthritis https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21978-arthritis-of-the-knee , which is inflammation in the joint caused from worn cartilage usually from years of routine use but can also be brought about by prior injury and autoimmune disease. Osteoarthritis is usually caused by wear and tear while rheumatoid arthritis is an auto immune condition. Arthritis can lead to knee joint replacement but pain and mobility issues from osteoarthritis can sometimes be lessened by weight loss and purposeful exercise.
Tears, or complete ruptures, of the anterior and/or posterior cruciate ligaments can severely limit knee range of motion and weight bearing. These two ligaments (ligaments connect bone to bone) limit the forward (anterior) and backward (posterior) movement of the knee. In other words if either of these ligaments fail the knee will be able to freely slide from the front to back or back to front. Unfortunately these injuries require surgery to repair, however after being repaired function is often near 100%.
Meniscus tears https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17219-torn-meniscus are often caused by injury such as a sudden stop/start or quick change of motion but can also be a wear and tear condition. Mencius issues often lead to knee pain, swelling and limited range of motion. The meniscus (you have two per knee) are tough half-moon shaped pieces of cartilage that are your knee’s shock absorbers. With time the meniscus can wear down or tear, letting the bones at the top of your knee contact the bone at the bottom and can cause misalignment of the joint. Meniscus issues can sometimes improve with rest and therapy while other times surgery is required to repair or remove the meniscus.
These are just three examples of the more common knee issues, there are other conditions such as cysts, bursitis and collateral ligament injuries. Please consult your medical provider for any lingering knee pain or issues limiting knee range of motion or the ability to bear weight.
Let’s explore how can we improve our knee health and help prevent future injuries.
- First and foremost lose weight, however this is often easier said than done. A circular issue can develop where knee pain limits activity and exercise, the decrease in activity causes weight gain, and the weight gain then worsens the knee pain. Your knees have carried your entire body weight for decades, the more you weigh the more stress there is on the cartilage, ligaments and lining of the joint. A five or ten-pound weight loss can often help decrease knee pain.
- Exercising the muscles surrounding the knee can help improve stability, range of motion and weight bearing. Since knee pain often limits movement, isometric exercises are often the best starting point. Isometric exercises involve contracting muscles around a joint without any joint movement. Wall squats, or sits, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/wall-sits are a good beginning. A SSYMCA personal trainer is a great resource to help you get started.
- Movement, of any kind, will stimulate blood flow and help lubricate the joint. Gentle treadmill walking or using a rowing machine are possibilities. If walking is too painful consider stationary biking. Your Y has both upright and recumbent bikes that can be adjusted to accommodate most movement limitations. Please see a SSYMCA personal trainer to help you select the type of bike and settings to best fit you.
As always I would enjoy hearing your fitness journey, please feel free to email me at hankinsb@ssymca.net
I would enjoy hearing about your fitness journey, please feel free to email me at hankinsb@ssymca.net.
Brad Hankins RN, CPT
