Knee Pain Unpacked

It’s time to tackle a common issue that affects many of us: knee pain.

Yep, that pesky discomfort that can really cramp our style (literally!). So today I’m going to shine a light on one potential culprit: those quadriceps.

Knee pain is a common complaint, and in my experience, tight quadriceps are often to blame.

So, why do our quadriceps tighten up in the first place?

There are several reasons.

One common culprit is our sedentary lifestyle — don’t deny it, we could all move a bit more. Sitting for long periods of time can cause these muscles to shorten and tighten. So, if you find yourself slumped at your desk, glued to the couch or driving your car for hours on end, it might be time to shake things up and get moving.

But it’s not just sitting or kneeling that can lead to tight quadriceps.

Not stretching enough will do this to you too.

Stretching helps to keep our muscles flexible and prevents them from getting all knotted up. So, if you’ve been skipping those post-workout stretches, your quadriceps might be feeling the effects.

The link between tight quadriceps and knee pain?

As we have covered, the quadriceps run from the front of your hips and attach to your knee joint. If these muscles become tight and knotted, they can start to put pressure on the knee joint, which can throw the joint slightly out; the knee cap (patella) then starts to track slightly off and over time, this can cause the knee cap to catch and create excess wear and tear on the joint.

When we release the tension from the quads, making everything more flexible and supple, the pressure is released and every thing moves with more fluidity and ease.

My top 3 ways kiss knee pain goodbye:

1. Stretches: Lift your foot behind you, grab it with your hand and pull it towards your buttock. Keep the knees together and tilt your pelvis forward to create a comprehensive stretch through the front of the thighs.
2. Strengthen: I talk a lot in these posts about how important strength is to our overall health. Here is a prime example, where weak muscles will dry out, toughen and lock up. This causes huge pressure around our joints. When we exercise and strength train muscles, they become active and strong like a good quality trampoline. They have much greater flexibility and give.
3. The real buster: Buy a good quality massage gun, for a deep tissue massage that will get into those tight, knotted muscles. You will literally get instant relief from this. Work the outside of the leg muscles, down the front and the inside, and above the knee. Make sure to go really slowly over the muscles. Put the gun on a high speed and move it very slowly. We do not want to excite the muscles, we want to really relax them using slow movements that will penetrate deep into the muscle fibres.
   
   Not all massage guns are made equally and, like most things, there are some truly rubbish models out there and some great ones too.
   
   These are our go-to products:

• Our favourite massage gun
• A more cost effective option
• A knee support

(Don’t mind the cheeky affiliate links — we still believe in this stuff).

Of course, if your knee pain persists, it’s always a good idea to see a healthcare professional. But in most cases, even if you have arthritis in your joints, keeping your muscle tissue surrounding the joint flexible and active, will reduce the inflammation and pain.I have personally trained clients with on-set arthritis in the hips and knees through strength training programs, where they have transformed their mobility and strength.

Stretch. Strengthen. Massage.