Over the years I have written a number of blogs on knee pain and knee injuries, highlighting how and why they occur e.g. Runners Knee. In this blog I would like to focus on two areas of the body that can cause knee pain and knee injuries if not maintained well, in terms of strength and flexibility.

If you are suffering from knee pain one of the first areas you want to look at is the Quad muscles. If the Quad muscles are not functioning correctly due to weakness or tightness they can cause the knee cap to track incorrectly, thus causing knee pain and knee injuries.

The first and easiest form of treatment if you feel your Quad muscles are tight is to Form Roll your Quads. I have written in the past of the importance to Foam Roll your body regularly and I have a video in the link on how to Foam Roll your lower body.

The second way to ensure your Quads are functioning correctly is to ensure they are strong enough and the 3 Quads muscles are working in synergy with each other. If one of the Quad muscles is weaker or not firing the way it should be, then this can also cause the knee cap to track incorrectly. Below is a video on a number of Quad exercises you can do at home to help ensure you are keeping the Quad muscle strong.

The second area to address is the glute muscles, the main reason we want to look at the Glute muscles is to ensure the stability of the hip as we walk and run. Again any weakness in the Glute muscles can lead to a Valgus strain on the knee, which over time can cause knee pain and knee injuries. I have written about the importance of the Glute muscles in previous blogs. I have attached a quick video of some great Glute activation exercises that are good to help maintain Glute strength and can be used to help activate the glutes before you head out for a walk or run.

The final area to look at if you are suffering from any knee pain and knee injuries is the foot and ankle. This is to ensure you have the stability and mobility within the foot and ankle to ensure the foot is not pronating as you walk or run. Check out a previous blog on Ankle Stability to learn more on this topic.