The Knee Does Not Work Alone

I have been discussing different parts of the body and have not mentioned the knees. Knee movement can often be painful and the joint can become stiff. There are disease processes that can be the origin of the knee pain. But most often the knee damage is due to misuse or poor positioning of the knee. The way you hold your spine, place your feet and even the way you sit impacts the position of your knee.

The range of movement of the knee is pretty simple, at least on the surface. Basic bend and straighten is the strongest and safest movement, like a hinge. But the knee is more adaptable than a simple hinge joint. There is a gliding movement provided by the 2 menisci. The meniscus cushions and protects the knee and provides stability for weight-bearing.

You can add stability to the knee joint by using and strengthening the leg muscles. When your thigh, foot, and calves are strong the knee does not move around as much. You are supporting the knee from above and below. Placing the foot firmly on the floor and use the core muscles to align the spine and strengthen the thigh. The bones of the knee joint will be supported. A misalignment at the shoulders, hips or feet will stress on the joint by displacing the weight. By the same token, an injury of the knee will require the rest of the body to adjust.

Keep awareness of how you stand, how you sit, how you walk. Notice how you feel after each of these activities can give you so much information. This can be a clue to what may be aggravating or stressing your knee joint. Stairs are particularly hard on the knees.

The meniscus does pretty well with infrequent twists and movements that don’t take the joint too far off. It is much more resilient than a simple hinge. Your knee joint gets damaged when you move too far. When you move beyond the point that the meniscus can yield and come back into position. Quick stops or pivots can tear the meniscus. It often happens playing sports, but also with simply landing on your leg wrong when walking.

When you ALWAYS sit with the knees splayed apart you are putting unnecessary stress on the knee. If you pull your foot up to cross your legs and the knee twist, which puts stress on the knee. If these are the only things that happen to your knee there may be long term issues from the repetitive strain. If you already have a knee injury these movements may increase damage and/or pain.