Injury Prevention: Strong Hips = Strong Knees

FitSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:30:00 PDT

We all know that men and women are different, even in how we exercise. Add to those differences the fact that women are more likely to suffer knee injuries. The difference is structural; the width of our child bearing hips angles the thigh bone (femur) in such a way that it creates some laxity and instability in the knee joint. Not to mention the ebb and flow of hormones women experience monthly can affect knee stability too.

One way to protect your knees is to strengthen your hips, or anatomically speaking your glute med – the muscle that fills in the side of your pelvis (see an image of the muscle here). Having strong glute meds helps to control the thigh bone, which then helps to stabilize the knee joint. Sounds like a win/win situation to me.

To see how to strengthen your hips, just

read more. Side Squats with Theraband

Tie a resistance band around your ankles. Start with red/medium band and work your way up to green/heavy.
Begin standing with feet directly underneath your hips.
Squat halfway down and side step to the right as far as you can manage.
Bring left leg toward right, returning to your starting position.
Step to the right 10 times, then reverse stepping to the left 10 times. Repeat for 3 sets.

Fit's Tips: This is a great exercise for runners and can help prevent patellofemoral pain, aka pain on the outside of the knee. Couple this with rolling out your IT band and you will be good to go. Preventing injuries means you log more miles and stay on the road! Source

Show Your Running Knees Some Love

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:30:58 PST

Running as a convenient form of cardio may be the bee's knees, but it can leave my knees aching. Although studies have found there is no connection between running and an increased risk for arthritis, here are some easy ways to show your knees some love.

Stay flexible: Tight hamstrings or quads can prevent the knee from going through its full range of motion, which can negatively impact the soft tissues that work the knee. Hamstrings can get especially tight for runners, and here are five easy ways to lengthen the muscles in the back of your legs. Don't forget to stretch your quads post-run, as well as your calves. Tight calves can create knee pain so stretch the back of your lower legs as well.
Maintain a healthy weight: Running can be considered a series of connecting hops, and the force of landing on your knees is considerable. Excess weight just increases the force of pressure your knees endure while running.
Strength train: Keeping your legs strong can help prevent knee injuries. Strong quads and strong glute meds, the muscle on the side of the pelvis, can help prevent iliotibial band syndrome, which causes pain on the outside of the knee, so do this wall sit exercise.
Cross train: Doing multiple forms of cardio is a great way to give your knee joints a nice break. Biking, swimming, Zumba, and running in water are great ways to mix up your cardio routine.