How to Prevent a Knee Injury

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Your knees can support a healthy weight. However, if you weigh more than you should, the extra pounds put additional stress on your knees. This puts you at risk of developing osteoarthritis, and it also makes it easier to injure your knees. You might even experience chronic knee pain if you are overweight. Lose the extra pounds to protect your knees.

Always Stretch Before Exercising

Do you exercise without stretching? This can cause injuries to your knees. Stretch before engaging in exercises. Pay special attention to the muscles that are located on the back and front of your thighs.

Once you are properly stretched, you’ll be ready to exercise. Keep in mind that you should also stretch before doing yard work or other activities that engage your muscles.

Wear the Right Shoes

The wrong shoes can put pressure on your knees and make you susceptible to trips and falls. This can lead to knee injuries.

High heels are one of the biggest culprits of knee pain. High heels cause the calf muscle to shorten and tighten. This causes the foot to pull forward, leading to knee injuries. Other shoes can cause the feet to move too far inward, which puts stress on the knee.

Choose shoes that have a one-inch heal at the maximum. The shoes should be comfortable and fit correctly. You also need to switch the shoes you use during your workouts every three months.

Build Your Muscles

Engage in strength training to prevent knee injuries. Strong core muscles help you maintain the correct posture so your body can properly distribute weight.

Also, your glutes, leg, and hip muscles can take some of the pressure off your knees when they are strong. Work on these muscles during your strength training routine, so you are less likely to hurt your knee.

Go to Physical Therapy If You’re Injure Your Knee

What if your knee has already been injured? You might have been in a car accident or a worker’s compensation accident or a more serious condition, like a torn knee ligament.

Your primary care physician, orthopedist, or a physiatrist likely told you to go to physical therapy. This is necessary, so you don’t reinjure your knee. Your physical therapist will provide you with exercises to prevent injuries in the future. Attend all your appointments so you can strengthen your knee and surrounding muscles.

You Don’t Have to Be Plagued With Knee Injuries

Don’t think those knee injuries are simply a part of life. You can avoid hurting your knees by following these tips. Then you can spend your days doing your favorite activities instead of visiting a New York knee injury doctor.