3 Reasons Why Your Knees Aren’t Getting Better
Knee pain can be frustrating, especially when it seems like nothing you do makes a difference. The good news is, there are three key areas you might be overlooking that could be holding you back from finding relief. Here’s why your knees might not be getting better and what you can do about it.
1. Your Quads Aren’t Strong Enough
Your quads and knees take around 6 x your bodyweight through them when you’re running, so it’s crucial that they are strong enough to tolerate these loads.
Improving quad strength is fundamental to addressing knee pain, and this is the first place to start.
If you’ve been avoiding exercises that load your knees due to discomfort, you might be doing more harm than good.
Exercises such as knee extensions, squats, and leg presses are great for building up your quad strength.
We set target weights for these exercises based on body weight. For example, clients returning to play after ACL surgery have to be able to lift 1.8 times their body weight for a one-rep max on both squats and single-leg presses.
2. You’re Ignoring Supporting Structures
Your knees depend on the strength and stability of surrounding muscles and joints, particularly your hips and ankles. Weakness or instability in these areas will place extra stress on your knees.
Incorporate exercises that target your posterior chain, adductors and core muscles.
Effective co-contraction of these muscles supports running and other sport-specific movements.
Exercises that we’ll often use are Bridge + Heel Raises, Romanian Deadlifts, Side Planks and Hip Thrusts.
Strengthening these supporting structures helps reduce the load on your knees and enhances overall lower body function, making a big difference in your pain levels.
3. You’re Not Doing Plyometrics
It amazes me that people don’t have these in their programmes before returning to running.
Running is essentially the limb absorbing and producing force quickly and plyometric exercises, are so important to build up the knees tolerance to be able to do this.
Start with low-impact plyometrics and then look to progress your intensity and volume over time.
If your knees aren’t getting better, it’s time to take a closer look at your exercise routine.
Strengthening your knees, paying attention to supporting structures, and incorporating plyometrics are essential steps to alleviate pain and improve function.
By addressing these areas, you can significantly reduce knee pain and get back to enjoying your activities without discomfort.
Consistency and progression are key.
I hope this guide provides some clarity and motivation. If you have any questions or tips of your own, feel free to reach out. Stay active and take care!
If you want to help with anything injury related then feel free to Book In and we can get you on the journey to becoming pain free again.
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