Preventing Knee Injuries: Tips for Active Individuals

The threat of a knee injury looms over anyone with an active lifestyle that often engages in sports or other activities. They are common, and depending on the type of knee injury, they can be incredibly painful and prevent you from doing what you want for up to multiple months. Dr. David Altchek specializes in sports injuries and will get you back on your feet, so you can do what you want to be doing. Read below to learn more about reducing the risk of a knee injury.

How to Reduce The Risks

While it may be impossible to prevent knee injury, there are some common practices to reduce your chances of getting one.

Increase Intensity Slowly – If you are getting back into working out or have taken a break due to previous injuries, increase the difficulty of exercises slowly. Suddenly ramping up to previous standards can increase the chance of knee damage as the body isn’t prepared for the workout.
Shoes – While it may seem simple, using the proper shoes during exercises is important. For example, running shoes are tailor-made for long-distance running and involve many small changes that make running easier, reducing the strain on the foot and knee.
Kneepads – If the sport requires a lot of kneeling, you may want to wear a pair of knee pads. Forcing the knee into the ground repeatedly can irritate a small sack of fluid near the knee joint and lead to a painful condition called bursitis.
Pace Yourself – While running for a little longer or taking just one last burst for the exercise may tempting, it’s best to stop if you’re feeling pain in the knee. Overworking is one of the most common ways to get knee injuries, as forcing more exercise once the muscles are tired increases the chances of them tearing or some other damage.

Visit Dr. David Altchek

If you’re suffering from a knee injury or want advice on preventing it, contact Dr. David Altchek. He’s worked with sports injuries for years and has a unique skill set perfect for working with sports knee injuries.