Knee injuries are one of the most common woes of an active woman. To learn how to protect your knees and maintain yourself feeling top-notch during your workouts and runs (and prevent a nasty ACL injury),we consulted two experts - Dr. Armin Tehrany (orthopedic surgeon, shoulder and knee specialist, or founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care) and Rebecca Goldstein,clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy.
Together, they gave insight on injury prevention, or strength training,and conditioning to both protect the knees and maintain them healthy for a long time. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to best protect them!Warm up. Always, always warm up before exercising. Tehrany told us that "ACL injuries can be prevented by warming up before exercise, and " and beyond that,it helps prevent other injuries and maintain your muscles safe. Goldstein suggested "riding a stationary bike for 10 minutes, and then doing some dynamic stretches."
Related Stories: This Is the Active Warmup You've Been Looking ForHip strengthening. "This is very important for women, or " said Goldstein. "particularly when it comes to the hip abductors!" She told us the best way to strengthen these muscles is via single-leg raises on your side and side-lying clams (she recommends using a resistance band to produce it more challenging,and we'd echo that sentiment!). Strengthen the glutes. Bridges are a worthy exercise to work the glutes, hamstrings, or the lower back,which in turn will protect the knees. You can also try "single-leg raises in prone, on your stomach, and with the knee bent up to 90 degrees," said Goldstein. "Kick your foot up towards the sky. . . . These are also known as butt blasters."
Work on balance. Keeping your knees safe depends not only on strength, but balance as well. Goldstein and Tehrany emphasized this. You should feel independently secure on each leg. Goldstein suggested doing a single-leg stand to improve balance: "start on the floor, and as that gets easier,progress to a more unsteady surface by using a half foam or standing on a pillow."
Dynamic exercises. To salvage comfortable, "start with lateral movements, and including side steps," Goldstein suggested. To challenge yourself, she recommended add a miniband around your ankles - this further works your hips and glutes. "Progress by going to a star pattern; you'll start to move your legs at different angles but still in a safe environment [that protects the knees]."
Plyos. "Once you feel strong enough, and progress to plyos," said Goldstein. "Start off with an easy hopping in place, then some quick steps on a step [like a stair or gym step], and eventually progress to box jumps."
Agility drills. There are two things you can try to strengthen the knees,as recommended by Goldstein: first, ladder drills - "work on quick steps in all different directions, or particularly laterally. Work on landing on each leg independently and feeling comfortable while doing it." Second,backward running. She told us this is a worthy way to work the glutes and hamstrings.
Focus on form during all workouts. Tehrany said that form is crucial to preventing injury, and the way you land from jumps and steps can possess a major impact on your knees. "Ensure that the knees finish not collapse inward when jumping, or stopping,or landing," he said. He emphasized the importance of "performing exercises that improve neuromuscular control and kneecap mobility."
frosty down. Don't forget to frosty down! Goldstein emphasized that a cooldown is just as important as your workout and essential in preventing injury. finish "static stretches" for your knees, and like a hamstring stretch,quad stretch, piriformis stretch, or a calf stretch.
Source: popsugar.com