Ouch, my kneeee!!! Avoiding Injuries and Playin Strong

This summer I had the joy of training my teammate Ray Stever back from his knee injury that cost him a season. Since some people would like to complain like they have the most original revolutionary ideas for how to avoid knee problems and then just mention squats but don't correct form or things like that, I'm going to take it to a whole different level. Keep reading to learn how to stay stronger longer.

What is a Torn ACL?

An ACL tear most often occurs during sporting activities when an athlete suddenly pivots causing excessive rotational forces on the ligament. Other mechanisms that can cause an ACL tear include severe trauma and work injuries. Individuals who experience ACL tears usually describe a feeling of the joint giving out, or buckling--patients also often say they hear a "pop."

Most Common Signs of a torn ACL:

Sudden giving way of the knee
Hearing a 'pop' at the time of injury
Sudden swelling of the knee joint
Pain in the knee when walking
Ready to erase your pain and raise every area of your fitness?

Some of the easiest ways to avoid knee problems is basic exercises. Things like squats, lunges, step ups all work main leg muscles that prevent injuries...IF..done right. Small things like making sure your knees don't stick out past your toes when you squat or lunge can save your weeks of knee pain. What I mean by that is, when you squat down, if you look down you should be able to see your toes. If you knee your knees instead that means you need to sit back more into the squat. Simple as that.

Fix Your Pains with Foam
People overlook foam rolls. Foam rolls keep you loose and help heal or prevent knee pain: Lie with the outside of your thigh on a foam roll and glide up and down from your knee to your hip. Pause for 30 seconds on any tender spots. Next, roll over your calves. Then stretch your calves, hips, and hip flexors.



The Comeback Workout
Save your joints and jump higher with this 5-minute routine

Knee injuries aren't caused by weak legs alone. It's not only how strong your quadriceps or hamstrings are.It's also about the control you have through your core."

When you jump, if your ankle's tight or your hips and abs are weak, your knee may cave in slightly, priming the joint for injury on landing. You can see this happen at the exact moment you land, prior to your next takeoff. It's called the "amortization phase," and it speaks volumes about your explosiveness and risk of knee pain.

A new study presented this spring by the National Academy of Sports Medicine shows that if your knee caves in, knee stress increases. Inward movement lengthens the amortization phase, so it has a dampening effect on your spring. As a result, you can't sky as high.

Take this test to determine your risk of ankle, knee, and hip problems. Stand in front of a mirror, toes pointed straight ahead, and perform an overhead squat. (With your arms extended overhead, sit back at the hips and bend your knees to lower your body toward the floor.) If your feet move or your knees cave, you're more susceptible to injury. The workout below along with proper form squats and knee extension exercises,will help save you a lifetime of knee pain.

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Single-Leg Balance Reach
Stand on one leg with that knee bent about 15 degrees. Squeeze your abs and gluteal muscles. Point the lifted foot's toes toward the floor and straighten that leg out to the side. Don't allow the arch to cave in on the foot you're standing on. Bring your foot back to the center without letting it touch the floor, and repeat. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.

Multiplanar Tube Walk
Loop resistance tubing around your ankles and slide it up your legs until it's above your knees. Stand with your knees slightly bent, hands on your hips. Keeping your abs tight, sidestep 12 to 15 times to your right, then back to your left. Repeat forward and backward.

Multiplanar Hop
Standing on one foot, jump forward and land softly on the other foot. Then reverse the move back to the starting position. Keep your chest up and your knee over your second and third toes, and don't let the arch of your foot cave when you land. Repeat out to the side, then go back at a 45-degree angle. That's one repetition. Do 12 to 15 repetitions on each leg.