THE KNEES ARE THE FIRST TO GO
How many times have we heard that one? From full contact football, soccer, baseball, tennis, jogging, hiking, and golf, men are pushing themselves to the extreme. If their knees could talk what a story they’d tell. Here are some exercises that can help prevent knee injuries early on that can save you some pain later.
- Hamstring stretch – Stretching the hamstring muscles by lying on the back and straightening the leg upwards targets the muscle fibers nearer to the knee.
- Knee-to-chest exercise – Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other foot flat on the floor (or the other leg straight, whichever feels better on your lower back). Keep your lower back pressed to the floor. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Relax and lower the knee to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat 2 to 4 times with each leg. To get more stretch, put your other leg flat on the floor while pulling your knee to your chest.
- Calf stretch – Stand about three feet from a wall and put your right foot behind you ensuring your toes are facing forward. Keep your heel on the ground and lean forward with your right knee straight. Rotating the toes in and out slightly will target the medial and lateral parts of this muscle separately. Hold this for 30 to 60 seconds.
Always wear the proper shoes for the sport you are participating in and check with your doctor before engaging in any exercise routine.
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