As you put more miles on your body it is inevitable that one day something will start to hurt.
One of the more common injuries sustained by people with a hectic fitness schedule are knee complaints. This can present itself in any manner of different ways, be it a hangover from pounding concrete or a tweak picked up in BJJ training.
Your knee is the biggest joint in your body and as such can break down in a multitude of different ways. Below are some of the more common injuries you can experience and how best to treat them. Remember, though, if you are concerned that you have done damage to your joint the best thing to do is to seek medical advice.
Overuse and Tendonitis
If your knee gets overworked the tendons around it can begin to swell up and become sensitive. It will also hurt when you move or flex your knee. You can help reduce this inflammation by resting an applying ice to the joint. This can help alleviate the symptoms but it wont be fully cured without a program of rest.
Understand your biomechanics
Improper form from walking, running or weight-lifting can place stress on your joints and your knee will bear the brunt of the action. If knee pain only comes to you when you exercise it might be time to examine your form and figure out if you can make improvements with your technique which can help overcome any nagging injuries. You can train your body for this by undertaking a proper program of stretching and do non-weight range of motion exercises.
Cartilage Injuries
Meniscal injuries are very common among active people and can come from any movement in which you twist or rotate your knee. Symptoms of this can be ‘clicking’ or ‘popping’ in your joint when you move it. If you suspect that you have damaged this area you should apply ice immediately and see a doctor to see if you require an MRI. Once you get the all clear you will need to do some activities which strengthen the muscles around you knee to provide it with a buffer to help prevent a reoccurrence.
Muscle Pain
If you pull or strain muscles in your groin, quads or pull your hamstrings it can lead to knee pain as your body attempts to compensate for the damage. The best treatment for this is cryotherapy followed by heat application and gentle stretching.
Arthritis
Your knee cartilage can wear away over time which will lead to a feeling of tremendous discomfort inside your knee. Normal wear and tear is common but if it develops into something more serious like arthritis which in turn can develop into further physical problems. The correct treatment for this would be range of motion exercises, water therapy as well as an ice bath followed by heat application.
