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What Your Knees Need

Posted: June 1, 2007

The knees provide stable support for the body, and they allow the legs to bend and straighten. Both flexibility and stability are needed so one can stand, walk, run, crouch, jump and turn.

Other parts of the body help the knees do their job — bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and tendons. If any of these parts are injured, the knee may hurt and not be able to do its job.

Preventing knee problems
Some knee problems (such as those resulting from an accident) can’t be prevented. But many knee problems can be prevented by doing the following:
• Warm up before playing sports. Walking and stretching are good warm-up exercises. Stretching the muscles in the front and the back of the thighs is a good way to warm up the knees.
• Make the leg muscles strong by doing certain exercises (for example, walking up stairs, riding a stationary bicycle or working out with weights).
• Avoid sudden changes in the intensity of exercise.
• Increase the force or duration of activity slowly.
• Wear shoes that fit and are in good condition.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts pressure on the knees.


Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

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