07/04/2023
Today's topic is all about the knee. When it comes to knee pain or knee issues, the problem isn't always the knee. To alleviate the pain and the damage, we need to look at the joints above and below, such as the foot and the hip.
The foot has 26 bones and 33 joints, which move in many different directions, and the hip, a ball and socket joint, also has internal rotation, external rotation, flexion, extension, and a combination of all of those as well. If we're lacking movements either above or below the knee, the knee generally tends to pick up the slack.
For example, if you have poor control over the arch of your foot and it goes flat, your knee will drop in (Valgus) The same thing happens with the hip. If your glute medius isn't engaged, or not active, as you're moving into the stance phase, the knee moves in under our centre of mass and again is under a lot more pressure.
Another thing is in rotations in the hip. If we’re limited there, it's going to pass the job on down to the knee. Another thing with the hip that a lot of us don't have good control over is hinging. If I were to show you a squat pattern, you’d see a lot of people don't have the control of hinging in the hip, so when they go down, the knees come way out over the toes.
Reduced hip extension, which is common from our many hours of sitting in chair, also results in our knee being in front of our centre of mass while walking, running, etc. This, through the law of levers, applies more shear force to the knee. Commonly seen with this pattern is an inability to lift the big toe, close the ankle joint and excess extension of the low back.
At the Life Fit Studio, we understand the importance of addressing the root cause of knee pain. Our team of experts can help you improve the movement and control in your foot, hip, and knee to prevent knee pain and injury. Contact us today to schedule your appointment and start your journey to a healthier, pain-free life.
