How to Protect Knees From Sports Injury

Protecting your knees from sports injury means preventing injury to your knees while working out and performing sports. Knee injuries happen because of many factors pertaining to the body and overall fitness. The following information outlines some very doable steps to protect your knees from injury.

Instructions

    • 1

      Train with the understanding that you need to stay flexible and strong. Before any major sporting event or activity, you should train at least four to six weeks out.

    • 2

      Research the correct form for your favorite sport, observing the correct usage of the knees and legs. Using the correct form instead of starting out using incorrect form helps you maintain knee stability throughout your workout or activity. Professional and career-minded athletes have resources including top trainers and coaches to watch for injury. Casual athletes need to develop correct form on their own. If you plan to play in a tennis tournament or run your first marathon, you need to research proper training charts and work at the correct pace for your body type.

    • 3

      Watch your weight and keep it standard for your body size. Overweight athletes wear down and overburden the joints and cartilage of the knees. Work out on low-impact machines to avoid knee strain, which leads to knee injuries. Water training, elliptical machines or various stationary bikes keep the strain off the knees.

    • 4

      Stretch before and after your game or work out. Stretching prevents strain and pains. Include the hamstring, groin, quadriceps and calf in your stretches, making sure each stretch lasts at least 15 seconds, the longer the better.

    • 5

      Maintain a strong core such as hips, back and abdominal muscles as well, not only the legs. The body strength originates from playing in a crouch position, which protects the knees. Many schools of thought like pilates, strength training and plyometrics emphasize the need for a strong core to maintain healthy knees.

    • 6

      Cut back on your exercise program. This helps prevent further injury if you feel you did too much. Older athletes' injuries happen when a previously active person becomes inactive, then overdoes it. He puts on weight and decides to leap back into his favorite sport again.