Kneecap injuries are common, especially for athletes or those who put repetitive stress on their knees. While certain injuries cannot be prevented, eccentric exercises can help reduce the likelihood of suffering a kneecap injury. Eccentric exercises help to lengthen and strengthen your muscles and tissue, causing them to be less susceptible to damage.
Anatomy
Your knee is comprised of three bones: the femur, tibia and patella. Your patella, or kneecap, is a small bone held in place by the patellar tendon. This tendon is attached to your quadriceps muscle and your tibia bone, and it allows you to extend or straighten your leg. Common kneecap injuries involve damage or weakness to the patellar tendon or the surrounding cartilage.
Eccentric Exercise
Eccentric exercises are those exercises in which your muscle is lengthened and, usually, the angle of your joint increases. It is the opposite of a concentric exercise, in which your muscle contracts. A bicep curl illustrates the difference between concentric and eccentric exercise. When you lift the weight, your bicep contracts, performing a concentric motion, but as you lower the weight down your bicep slowly extends, performing an eccentric motion.
Most often, people focus solely on concentric exercise to build muscle. However, a combination of both concentric and eccentric exercises can help build strength in your muscles and tissues, and promote muscle growth. These exercises can help treat and prevent kneecap injuries, specifically patellar tendinitis, by strengthening your leg muscles and the patellar tendon.
Decline Squat
To perform a decline squat, begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Begin to lower yourself down by bending your knees until your knees are at a 90-degree angle and your thighs are parallel to the floor. If you need help balancing yourself, stand next to a wall. You should lower yourself slowly, taking about 3 to 5 seconds to get into a squatting position. Once in that position, lift yourself up and repeat the process. For a more advanced version of this exercise, try doing it one leg at a time.
Step Down
To perform the step down exercise, start by standing on top of a step with your feet shoulder-width apart. From there, slowly step down with one leg until your knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Then take your other leg and place it on the ground, keeping your first leg bent. Once both feet are on the ground, lift your first leg up off the ground without straightening it. Once completed, return to the step and repeat the exercise.
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