The knee is the largest joint in the human body. It is the one that carries the weight of the latter, which is why it can be easily weakened or weakened by different repetitive movements linked to certain professions or certain sports activities.
Essential for our mobility and stability, the knees work a lot during sports. They are often the object of painful musculoskeletal disorders that limit their mobility …
Sport, Source of problems in the knees
Table of Contents
The knees of high-level athletes or athletes suffer greatly. They are subjected to blows and multiple contacts caused by numerous practices. In fact, a third of sports injuries involve the knees.Among the most frequent injuries, we can find sprains, tendinitis, meniscus injuries (cartilage), compression of the nerve that goes down the side of the twin (sciatic nerve) … However, the band or band friction syndrome iliotibial, femoro patellar syndrome and knee bursitis are the most diagnosed in athletes.
The Illiotibial Band or Ring Syndrome
This syndrome is caused in the long term by repeated practice of knee flexions and extensions. It mainly concerns long-distance runners (4 to 7% of them suffer from it), hikers and cyclists. It is characterized by the repeated rubbing of two structures of the knee: the fibrous band located on the outer side of the thigh (headband or iliotibial band) and the femur (thigh bone).
The Rotulian Femorous Syndrome
We think that a quarter of athletes suffer or have already suffered from this pathology. This is defined by the irritation of the knee cartilages located between the femur and the patella. It appears when the joint is used too much or when activities are practiced in which you have to jump regularly (basketball, volleyball, dance, aerobics …)
The Knee Bursitis
It is an inflammation or widening of one of the 11 synovial pockets that make up each knee (like small fluid-filled cushions that reduce friction between the bones, tendons, and muscles of the knee). This disorder can be caused by repeated falls at knee level (volleyball, wrestling, judo, running, etc.).
Prevent these Disorders
It is already clear, practicing sports intensively can cause numerous problems at the knee level, often long and difficult to heal and that hinder the gestures of everyday life. In addition, certain factors may favor the appearance of these disorders: overweight, poor posture when walking or inadequate technique when running, bike unsuited to the size of the cyclist …
There are ways to prevent the development of problems at the knee level:
- avoid being overweight: the more weight your knees have to bear the greater their suffering! If you are overweight and want to practice sports to lose weight, choose activities in which you do not have to carry weight such as cycling or swimming.
- do not sharply increase the intensity of a demanding sport for the knees, rather make a progressive effort so that your body adapts to it in order to strengthen itself.
- Go to a professional coach if you play a sport for the first time to teach you the proper gestures to take to avoid injury.
- invest in shoes adapted to your practice and your morphology. It is essential to preserve your joints!
- regulate the height of your saddle correctly if you are a cyclist
wear knee pads if you are subject to knee pain - If you run regularly, choose flat surfaces instead of uneven and uphill
use walking poles for the excursion, this will cause less stress at the knee level - stretch correctly after each workout
- See a doctor if you notice persistent pain.
Finally, if you suffer from problems at the knee level and you want to play sports, choose swimming or cycling that cause less shock to your joints. Obviously, ask your doctor for advice before you start.
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