Article on "How to avoid knee injuries"

[boogielicious]

From golfdigest.com com

Same exact advice my physical therapists have given me for my knees. I have strong legs from doing other exercises like:

1. Straight leg lifts with ankle weights or using the leg extension machine without the knee bend
2. Wall sits with a exercise ball for 30 - 60 seconds
3. Step ups on a raised platform
4. Partial squats where the bottom of the thighs do not go past parallel.

Quote:

Fitness Friday: How to avoid knee injuries

By Ron Kaspriske

Many well-intentioned people enter the gym each day with the goal of increasing overall strength and muscle function in order to protect their joints. The knees are typically at the top of the list—especially for golfers because of the stress placed on them over decades of absorbing punishment from swinging.

I reached out to Mike Boyle (@bodybyboyle), a well-known strength-and-conditioning expert who works with a number of elite athletes including the Boston Red Sox, to get his thoughts on the do's and don'ts of knee care in the gym. If you know Mike or have heard him lecture, then you know he has carefully vetted hundreds of exercises for both safety and effectiveness, and isn't afraid to offer a counter opinion to what many believe to be good for the body.

One of his messages about the knees is to avoid "overloading" their tasks. Golfers knees already are susceptible to injury based on factors such as being overweight, a lack of dynamic exercise, and wear and tear caused by the swing. So why stress them even more in the gym by piling on a lot of extraneous weight or hyperextending/hyperflexing them.

Click on the video below for Mike's great advice on what you should and should NOT be doing to your knees when you workout. Some of his tips might surprise you.

[saevel25]

From golfdigest.com com

Same exact advice my physical therapists have given me for my knees. I have strong legs from doing other exercises like:

Straight leg lifts with ankle weights or using the leg extension machine without the knee bend

Wall sits with a exercise ball for 30 - 60 seconds

Step ups on a raised platform

Partial squats where the bottom of the thighs do not go past parallel.

I think this is a contested philosophy with many who work out. I read a lot that doing full squats provide more support and overall better knee health than doing partial squats.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

From golfdigest.com com

Same exact advice my physical therapists have given me for my knees. I have strong legs from doing other exercises like:

Straight leg lifts with ankle weights or using the leg extension machine without the knee bend

Wall sits with a exercise ball for 30 - 60 seconds

Step ups on a raised platform

Partial squats where the bottom of the thighs do not go past parallel.

I think this is a contested philosophy with many who work out. I read a lot that doing full squats provide more support and overall better knee health than doing partial squats.

If you have good knees to start with.  In my case, my patellas do not track straight, which caused the chondromalacia in the first place.  I can get 80-90% of the strength from partials without damage.  For people who do full, let's talk to them in 20 years.  It took 10-15 years for my issues to show up.

Also, most people do way too much weight or progress to higher weight too fast.

[saevel25]

If you have good knees to start with.  In my case, my patellas do not track straight, which caused the chondromalacia in the first place.  I can get 80-90% of the strength from partials without damage.  For people who do full, let's talk to them in 20 years.  It took 10-15 years for my issues to show up.

Also, most people do way too much weight or progress to higher weight too fast.

Ok, a pre-existing issue would be something to worry about.

I agree, I think people get too use to a weight and jump up too much.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I'm not sure if there's some new research I'm not aware of but when I was a personal trainer we discouraged anyone from going past parallel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

My physical therapist would agree with you!  I used to do a lot of squats and have started back into it with light weights.  I have OE in my knees and do a little above parallel.

Just one of the first links I found:

http://www.biomechfit.com/2012/02/09/3-squatting-myths-that-refuse-to-die

For me, once I started going all the way down, my knee pain went away.

One caution.  Most people who have patella tracking issues don't know they have that issue until they have damage.  If you ever feel grinding in your knee cap, talk to your Doctor or PT before doing squats.