Knee pain is a pretty common thing. Seems like everyone has experienced it at some point even if it’s not a chronic issue. Today we’re talking 5 simple habits that can help minimize or prevent of knee pain! As usual, if you’d rather watch the video it’s below! 🙂
Before getting started, these will help with all knee pain but are especially good for people who can’t figure our why they even have knee pain. Aka it’s not from an injury etc. Either way, these are some great things to help! Give them a try and let me know how it goes!
Strengthen Your Glutes – It may seem like a bit of a stretch but there’s a big connection here. Glute strength has a direct impact on the knees! We sit a lot. Since we sit so much out glutes aren’t used to being used but we want to change that. Go for a well rounded glute plan including things like lying abduction (lying on your side and lifting the leg to the sky), fire hydrants, leg lifts, kick backs, side band walks, hip thrusts/bridges along with the usual squat and lunge variations. One thing to keep in mind here is really focusing on using the glutes. Make that mind muscle connection. The first few exercises can really help with that! They’re very isolated and a good way to practice using the glutes. Try a few before each lower body workout to get the glutes firing! And maybe again after for a nice burnout! Here are a few to try:
2. Use Correct Form – We all know this is important but how much time do we really invest in figuring out if our form is actually correct? When our form is off we’re adding unnecessary strain and stress to the knees! If you’re unsure on any part of your form, I would encourage you to find a video tutorial (I have one for squats and sumo squats so far) and practice your form on lower body exercises! If you can practice in a mirror, even better! Start body weight and move on when you feel confident with your form!
Stretch – This is super important! And also one of the first things we tend to skip when we can. Short on time? Who needs a stretch!? (I used to be guilty of this too often and still am sometimes!) Stretching your lower body, especially your hip flexors (this will help with strengthening up those glutes as well) can make a huge difference in knee pain. It may seem like a waste of time but commit to it for a few weeks and see the difference it can make! Try some of these Lower Body Stretches!
Foam Roll – Just like stretching, it’s not always a top priority but if you can fit it in a few times a week it will make a difference! You don’t need to foam roll for hours, just 30 or so seconds per muscle. Be sure and roll out your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and TFL. It’s worth it!
Eat Nourishing Foods – Food? What does food have to do with knee pain?? Probably a lot more than we all think. When we eat a diet of processed, sugary foods it causes inflammation in our bodies. One of the places inflammation can show up and cause problems is the joints. It’s amazing the difference steering clear of proceeded foods (most of the time) while getting in more veggies, fruit and whole foods can make when dealing with this problem. Another big help is drinking enough water! This helps to keep the joints lubricated!
All of these tips are super simple, it’s just a matter of picking one and starting! You don’t need to do it all at once. Drink more water, add 5 – 10 minutes of stretching daily and build from there! Remember, it’s not important that you’re perfect, it’s important that you keep trying! So even if you miss a few days a week, 3 days of a good habit is better than none! Never discount even the smallest amount of progress! It adds up!
5 Habits to Prevent Knee Pain
Sweat, Smile, Repeat!
Niki
