Everyone who plays sport or hits the gym will, at some stage in their life, get some form of knee pain. Every knee is different, and the causes of said pain can be as varied as the owners’ hairstyle or preference in underwear… however, saying that, here are some very simple rules that can be applied to help limit knee pain, and keep you training those pins for longer!

Get a Knee Support!

These simple and relatively cheap training tools are a must. They keep the joint warmer, helps decrease shearing thresholds, and helps maintain stability! Go online and buy a couple… (do it now, then come back and finish reading the article… go on…). Ok now that you are back, knee supports on their way, wear them every time you train your legs! Without exception.

Get Mobile Hips and Ankles!

Believe it or not, most knee problems typically develop because of issues elsewhere in the body, and two of the major culprits are tight hips and ankles. Get these functioning properly with some simple stretches (you may even want to buy a slant board for those calves) and not only will your knee pain reduce, chances are that back pain will disappear with it. Incorporate some key stretches into your routine, focusing on the Quads, Hip Flexors, Calves and Hamstrings, and those joints will feel not only loose and strong, but your knees will feel the most benefit of all!

Get Balanced!

It still shocks me that I see this problem on an almost daily basis! I’ll see someone hit some squats, then some lunges, then hammer out some knee extensions, and then maybe at the end, after they have done some crunches, they’ll think about doing some hamstring work. The knee has TWO main functions; Flexion AND Extension. If you don’t throw some Glute and Hammy work in with your Quad training, you are booking a one way ticket to knee pain and injury. Have a look at your program, and make sure there is a balance to it. Also read my article on Structural Balance, or book in with a trainer to get this fundamental principle sorted for you!

Soft Tissue and SMR Work!

If you haven’t got a foam roller somewhere at home, my guess is your legs are already feeling tight and sore. Any Performance Coach worth knowing will be using one, so you should too! These tools are used to release tension in the connective tissue layers (fascia) surrounding your muscles, bones and joints, and help release trigger points that lead to leg pain and injury. I have had a lot of success using foam rollers with tri-athletes, to help them train harder and remain pain free; they are a simple tool that can be used to add a new dimension of recovery to your training. Talk to a Trainer about how to incorporate SMR into your routine, or read my article on SMR for a more in-depth look at this technique!

Stop Pain Provoking Activities.

This is the simplest tip of the bunch, if something you do, hurts… STOP DOING IT! Pain (bad pain as opposed to good pain or burn) is your bodies’ way of telling you something is wrong. Listen to your body, and learn the difference between this good and bad pain, and when the latter rears its ugly head, stop what you are doing immediately. This could be squatting, lunging, running, adventure sex, anything…. Continuing through the pain will only make it worse, and could keep you ‘off games’ for weeks. Each and every time you step into the gym the goal should be to improve. If you are in pain, or injured, that just can’t happen. It is better to take some time off from the offending activity, if you can come back and train harder, without pain, the next time around!

Now that you are armed with your trusty shopping list (Knee Support, Slant Board & Foam Roller), and these 5 Tips for healthy knees, hit the gym and put them into practice, and work your way to strong, healthy and happy knees in no time!