I spare my knees
By adopting the right reflexes : climb stairs keeping your back straight and pressing on the entire surface of the foot (and not just the front), bend your knees in line with your feet, keeping your heels on the ground to bend down. To turn to the side, always turn the knees at the same time as the feet.
By correcting my posture : knees that turn inwards or outwards, a plantar arch that sags, can, in the long run, wear out the cartilages. If necessary, we take appointment with a podiatrist who can make corrective insoles.
Keeping a healthy weight : 1 kg in excess represents an additional force of 3 to 4 kg on each knee when walking.
I maintain their mobility
Every morning, lying in her bed, we gently peel them for a few minutes. First with flexions and extensions in the axis of the body by sliding the foot on the bed. Then, with the leg bent, rotate the knee and the ankle, pivoting the heel on the bed, to the right, then to the left.
Regularly stretch the leg muscles. More flexible, they will be less constraining for the joint and will limit cartilage wear.
We also think about working on our balance to strengthen its proprioceptive sensors (which stabilize the body and limit the risk of injury). Standing, bend one leg and keep your balance for 30 sec to 1 min. If it’s too easy, we do the exercise on a cushion.
I strengthen my knees
Our knees are held together by ligaments but also by muscles. The more toned they are, the more stable the joint. The recommended exercises are simple and within everyone’s reach: lunges, squats, rear leg extensions with elastic…
Super effective for toning the thighs : the exercise of the chair. With your back to the wall, bend your knees so that your thighs are parallel to the ground and hold on as long as possible.
We always take the stairs a good habit to strengthen both the legs and the buttocks.
I exercise (reasonably)
Even if you have fragile knees, it is essential to move to preserve the good health of your joints. In this case, the preferred sports are swimming (except breaststroke) walking and cycling (preferably on flat ground) and all gentle activities such as aquagym, yoga, Pilates…
If you practice an impact sport (running, tennis…), we regularly add to our sessions muscle strengthening and stretching of the whole body. Thus, we do not always solicit the same muscles.
Read also :
Knee pain: what it could mean
Fragile knee: the right treatments
