Correct exercise to protect knee joints

running withKnee joint care: How to avoid sports injuries

In recent years, more and more people have fallen in love with running, but the question of "whether running too much will hurt the knees" has also emerged. In fact, not only running, but many sports can put pressure on the knee joints, especially those that require frequent running and jumping and high impact sports, such as basketball, football and badminton. The jumping movements in these sports require high flexibility of the knee joints, and it is easy to cause injuries if you are not careful.

The knee joint is an important load-bearing joint in the human body and plays a key role in daily activities such as standing, walking, running and jumping. Therefore, it is particularly important to protect the health of the knee joint. Although moderate exercise is good for the body, improper exercise methods may cause damage to the knee joint. Many orthopedic problems in clinical practice are caused by sports injuries, which can be summarized into three common causes: incorrect posture, improper exercise methods, and insufficient warm-up.

The structure of the knee joint and common sports injuries

The knee joint is composed of the thigh bone, shin bone and kneecap. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments and cruciate ligaments are used to fix the knee joint. There are also menisci at both ends to absorb shock and reduce pressure. The muscles in the front and back of the thigh provide the knee joint with mobility. Among these structures, the cruciate ligament and meniscus are the most vulnerable parts to injury during exercise.

If you are hit hard or twisted violently during exercise, the anterior cruciate ligament may be ruptured or torn, and the meniscus may also be damaged during twisting. In addition, incorrect running posture may cause "iliotibial band friction syndrome", in which friction occurs between the lateral ligament and the bone of the knee joint, causing joint inflammation and pain.

Preventing knee injuriespractical advice

For minor knee injuries, acute treatment measures can be taken, including rest, compression bandages, elevation of the affected limb, and ice. If it is just a mild tear of the quadriceps or the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, recovery can usually be promoted through rest, medication, anti-inflammatory treatment, physical therapy, etc. However, if the injury is more serious, such as a meniscus rupture or a severely torn ligament, surgical repair may be required.

In order to protect the health of the knee joints, the following points should be noted when exercising: first, do a good warm-up exercise; second, seek guidance from a professional coach on the correct exercise posture when necessary; and finally, avoid excessive exercise. Remember, only moderate exercise can truly bring health benefits, while excessive or incorrect exercise methods will only backfire. Through the correct exercise method and appropriate protective measures, we can effectively protect the health of the knee joints while enjoying the fun of exercise.