Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

4 Simple Moves For Stronger Knees

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stronger knees

Stronger knees is not an easy goal to achieve and knee pain is unquestionably more frustrating than most aches and pains.  If you’ve already been to your doctor and the injury isn’t more problematic, or you’ve recovered from a knee surgery, you’ll want to keep those knees healthy and strong.  Don’t be surprised to find out, as we did from this helpful article at MyFitnessBlog that part of the trick to healthy knees, is healthy hips!  Here are some details why, along with some exercises recommended by Dr. Michele Olson, an exercise physiologist. to help you become stronger and healthier.

Painful knees have been tied to weak hips for years now—especially for women. Typically, rehab has focused on exercises that strengthen the big muscles that support your knees, including the quads and hamstrings, explains Jessica Malpelli. But a new paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that programs that integrate exercises that strengthen the hips are more successful at relieving knee pain.

Your hip muscles are way more essential than you realize, explains Dr. Olson. “Stronger hips take a lot of weight and work off your knees,” she says. Here are four exercises Dr. Olson suggests to target the sweet spot and help nix knee pain for good.

1. Outer Leg Lifts

Lie on your right side, legs bent and stacked one on top of another. Bend your right arm and rest your head in your right hand. Plant your left palm flat on the floor in front of belly button. Now extend left leg away from body; this is your starting position. Without bending your left knee, lift leg up 45 degrees. Hold here for five seconds, then lower. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 reps; then switch sides.

2. Inner Leg Lifts

Lie on your right side with legs extended and stacked one on top of another. Bend your right arm and rest your head in your right hand. Plant your left palm flat on the floor in front of belly button. Bend left leg and plant left foot on the ground in front of right shin; this is your starting position. Keeping right leg straight, lift leg six inches off the ground. Hold here for five seconds, then lower. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 reps; then switch sides.

3. Single-Leg Deadlift

Stand tall holding a dumbbell (start with 8- to 10 lbs.) in each hand. Shift weight onto left leg and begin to slowly hinge forward, lowering weights in front of the body toward ankles, your right leg will raise behind you. Be sure to keep your spine long and abs tight. Slowly return to standing without letting the right leg touch the ground. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 reps; then switch sides.

4. Lunges

Stand tall with feet together. Step right foot forward, bend knees and lower down and far as you can, keeping right knee stacked over right ankle, left hip stacked over left knee. Push back up to standing and repeat on the opposite side. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 reps.

 

 

Benefits of Running For Your Joints & Knees

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????????????You may not feel like exercise is for you out of fear that you’ll sweat your hair out, it’s too cold outside, or your need to take a shower immediately after. For one moment do yourself a favor and put these concerns away, and just let the benefits of running sink in. According to Weil “running is a form of aerobic “cardio” fitness that offers the ability of your heart to pump stronger and more efficiently and your muscles to use oxygen more efficiently.” Running is also excellent for burning fat. In weight loss, the key is to burn more calories than you consume.

Running outside or on a treadmill can help you lose weight. However, there’s a difference in the two as far as energy released (calories burned). Many distance-runners use a treadmill for less stress on the legs. According to Weil (n.d.) “outdoor running burns slightly more calories than treadmill running at the same speed due to lack of air resistance on the treadmill.” Research has found if you set a treadmill at just 1% elevation it will equal things out, and treadmill walking or running will mimic running outside. Running is a good exercise for bones in your legs, knee cartilage and joints, producing superior improvements and health benefits in bone density. According to Hoyle (2014), “Moderate amounts of running provide the most beneficial influence on your bone health, the U.S. Sports Academy reports.” It requires you to pay attention to your form. Here are some things to remember:

  • Align your head and spine (look towards the horizon), and keep your body erect to avoid fighting gravity.
  • Relax your shoulders
  • Stretch your torso to full height for maximum breathing and zero torso strain.
  • If your torso and head are properly aligned, your hips (which are close to your center of gravity) will be too.
  • Keep your knees low for less energy loss.
  • Quicker ankle action increases speed.
  • Keep your arms close to the body, only swing low, forward and back. Relax and bend your elbows at 90 degrees. The upper arm should not move much, but allow the lower arm to do most of the work.
  • Cup your hands and gently place your thumb on the top half of your index finger.

Also remember to control your breathing when running. For deep breaths lift the chest up and out and fully exhale for increased inhalation. Maintain a consistent rhythm and effort running up hill, shorten your stride and slow down. When running downhill allow gravity to pull down, but maintain control.

References:
Hoyle, M. G. (2014, May 13). Running and Your Bone Density. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/368647-running-your-bone-density/

Thomas, J. (2014, March 13). Is Jogging Bad or Good for Knee Cartilage? Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/532848-is-jogging-bad-or-good-for-knee-cartilage/

Weil, R., MED, CDE (n.d.). Running (Jogging). Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/running/page3.htm

Written by: Jamacia Taylor, Rust Built, Marketing Services

Noisy Knees? What Does That Mean?

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iStock_000002529630_MediumHave you noticed that your knees crack or make other noises whenever you walk, bend or stretch. Concerned about what this means, and what you can do to avoid it? Those unnerving sounds, known as crepitus, are probably what you’re hearing. In humans the knees are responsible for supporting nearly your entire body weight. Crepitus may show up unexpectedly, but it does not mean you have an underlying problem. Joint noises have been known to persist for several years without the development of significant problems. Cracking and popping, with no pain, may happen if the knee is slightly out of alignment and rubs against the tissue adjacent to it. However, if the noise occurs on a regular basis with pain, it could mean a more underlying problem. The more you weigh the more stress you put on the knees, which could cause an acute injury and osteoarthritis. Other noises can happen as a result of scar tissue or tendon snapping over a cavitation. Cavitation is vapor cavities that are found within liquid. Quinn (n.d.) explained “Cavitation frequently occurs in synovial joints when a small vacuum forms in the synovial fluid and a rapid release produces a sharp popping or cracking sound.” (Crepitus – Joint Noise Popping and Cracking, para. 2).

 According to Brakke (2011) unique symptoms of knee crepitus caused by arthritis include (Crepitus in the Knee, para. 4).

  • Unlike a mechanical popping where this popping sensation is painless and intermittent, the crepitus caused by arthritis is oftentimes painful.
  • These symptoms are usually associated with other knee symptoms suggestive of arthritis, such as pain while walking, occasional swelling of the knee, stiffness, and so on.
  • The most common initial location of arthritis in the knee is on the inside aspect of the knee.
  • The sound of knee crepitus may be quite soft, but the crunching sensation is often palpable. It can be felt by placing the hand on the knee while flexing and extending the joint.
  • Many things can cause the creaking or crunching sensation while flexing and extending the knee and it’s hard to tell without a full exam of the knee if this might be arthritis of the knee or other more innocent causes such as patellar motion.

Treatment of Knee Crepitus

As it has been noted cracking and popping sounds with no associated pain should not cause you to worry. Instead try performing conditioning exercises to help strengthen the muscles and joint. The less weight you put on the joint the better. If you are experiencing symptoms other than just cracking and popping in your knees you should seek a medical professional for an examination and x-rays in order to appropriately diagnosis the cause.

Jamacia Magee, Rust Built, Marketing Services

References:

    1. Brakke, R. (2011, July 11). Crepitus in the Knee. Retrieved from http://www.arthritis-health.com/joint/knee/crepitus-knee.
  1. Quinn, E. (n.d). Crepitus – Joint Noise Popping and Cracking.  Retrieved from http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/aa092500.htm.