Joint Articulation in Terms of Injury Prevention:Part 2: The Knee

[The Prodigy]

Joint Articulation in Terms of Injury Prevention

Part 2: The Knee

As a kid I played soccer and usually didn’t think twice about going in for the slide tackle, going foot to foot with someone twice my size or running head on colliding with other players. However, in the eyes of just about every child and adolescent as far as they are concerned they are superman/woman, unable to be injured and essentially invincible. However, as I have grown older I have learned that just being a beast and having no fear doesn’t mean that you can’t get seriously injured. And as I am sure you have all come to know as well, being injured is nowhere near any kind of fun. But good news for us weightlifters, there are many things we can do to prevent injuries!


http://www.rxmuscle.com/rxgirl/rx-gi...-the-knee.html

[AnglicanBeachParty]

When I sprained my knee a few years back, I took some time to study how the knee joint is supposed to work.

As a mechanical engineer, I think it is a crazy design ... I'm amazed it works as it does!

[sassy69]

The push / pull balance is amazing, but the wear & tear of an imbalance is subtle.

[sassy69]

While cruising the internet for some random crap about the reality show "Dance Moms', I passed a dance website that had some articles about protecting your knees. Here's a couple foam roller activities to help knees:

Two foam-roller exercises to release tight muscles and help prevent knee injury
Healthy knees benefit from well-toned supporting muscles. A tight iliotibial (IT) band or quadriceps will pull excessively on the knee, says Houston-based physical therapist and former dancer Jennifer Romanek. Here are two foam-roller exercises she recommends to release tight muscles:

IT Band Roll
1. Flip over onto your side and place the foam roller underneath the outside of your thigh (iliotibial band). Keep the bottom leg straight, bend your top leg with the foot flat on the floor and support the upper body with your hands. Keep abdominal muscles engaged for back support.
2. Slowly roll up and down your IT band, from your knee to your hip.
3. Roll your body forward and back to get all sides of the IT band.

Quad Roll
1. Face the floor and place the roller underneath the front of your thighs; support the upper body with your forearms. Pull in your abdominal muscles, while keeping the back straight and supported.
2. Roll up and down the front of your thighs, or quadriceps, going all the way down to your knee and up to the hips.
3. Repeat with legs straight, legs turned out and then with legs turned in.
(Tip: For best results, complete both exercises three times a day. But remember to stay on the soft muscle during each exercise; do not roll over bones, including the kneecap, and go very slowly to iron out muscle and fascia.)