The Knee: the Most Victimized joint in the lower Body
Yes I said it, poor knees.
Every patellar tendonitis, knee ligament tear, and dislocation - it is NOT the knees fault. The knee’s alignment is completely dependent on what the Hip and Foot CAN do. So if either the Hip or Foot is underperforming, guess who has to over perform- the KNEE.
Got imbalances at the hip and feet- your knees will tell you.
Weak hips lead into poor knee control. And poor knee control also means poor tracking of the knee CAP aka the Patella.
And with Spring here, this means only more work for the knees!
More walking, more festivals, more adventures and more living life BIG!!
Something about that SUN really draws me outside- how about you??
So my question to you is:
Q; Ever feel like you have to "pop" your knee joint??
Usually a vicious kick and "ahh" the knee feels better??
If you do- then you are most likely realigning the knee cap back into the (trochlear) groove. This groove is where you knee cap sits as it goes up and down as you bend and extend the knee. And it feels stuck when it is OUT of the groove- hence why the relief after it gets back into place.
Having to regularly pop your knee can also be a sign of knee cap instability.
This might be paired with knee or ankles collapsing inward during squatting to compensate. Which may not be a problem - until it is a problem. So why wait??
Let's not, and let's get moving into the knees.
And guess what- I will show exactly what you should be doing DAILY for happy knees, and eventually no longer feel like you have to keep popping them.
Video #2 Banded Knee Extension in Hip Abduction
Doing these two moves daily will get you knees not only in better alignment, but strong at the joint, and at the hip connection to the knee. All the wins!
Hope this helps!
xx- Christa Ordonez, PT, DPT
Your PT and Pilates Bestie
PS- Want an assessment on your movement? You can virtually or in person in my Boutique Studio Clinic in Leander, Texas. I offer both Private Training and Physical Therapy, reach out for a Discovery Call to learn more!