1. How does the knee joint work?
The knee is considered a hinge joint because of the way it bends, like a door on a hinge. However, this can be deceiving as the knee also has some rotational movement. The knee joint is composed of four bones--the femur, tibia, fibula and patella or knee cap. In addition to the bones there are ligaments (hold bone to bone), cartilage (cushion between the bones), bursa (fluid filled sacs that allow muscles and tendons to easily glide over one another), and muscles with tendons that keep the knee joint together and allow proper movement.
2. What are the causes of knee pain?
Knee pain occurs when there is a disruption of the knee's natural and smooth movement. There are several causes of knee pain which include arthritis, joint effusion or fluid within the joint after injury, ligament tear or sprain, tear in the meniscus (cartilage between femur and tibia), inflammation of the bursa, infection, muscle strain and overuse injuries such as patellofemoral syndrome.
3. What exercises should you avoid with knee pain and which ones can you do safely?
There are certain exercises that can worsen knee pain due to stress or pressure placed on the joint and injured knee components. You should avoid any type of excessive flexing and extension of the knees such as kneeling, squatting or climbing stairs. Other activities to exclude are jumping, jogging, sports that require running and stopping abruptly, or swimming the breast stroke or using the dolphin kick. Some gym equipment, such as the stationary bike, should be used with caution.
Safe exercises are ones that incorporate minimal stress on the knee joint such as walking, swimming freestyle, using the elliptical machine or water aerobics.
4. What exercises will strengthen your knees?
Exercises that strengthen the knee are important for rehabilitation and getting the knee back into action. These should include quadriceps and hamstring strengthening and stretching. Examples include straight leg raises, hip adduction and abduction and hamstring curls. Of course, any exercise program should always be reviewed and endorsed by your physician or a physical therapist.
5. What should you do if you hurt your knee?
If you injure your knee you should see your physician immediately if there is any deformity or swelling. For minor injuries remember the acronym RICE, for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Ice can be applied for 15 minutes every couple of hours and a towel should be placed between the skin and the ice to prevent injury to the skin. Elevation and compression with an ACE wrap will decrease the swelling and pain. Over-the-counter medications acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used for pain and should only be taken in dosages as directed on the bottles.
