Knee Needs

Guest article by Yashmeen Chauhan Manak [FB page]

The knee joint experiences a variety of forces and actions in sports and strength training and hence is vulnerable to wear & tear and thus various injuries. The sad reality is that despite all the sensible approach to knee protection, this joint can still succumb to injury/joint condition. The most common knee conditions faced by majority of the population are, Patellar Tendonitis or Jumpers Knee ( Patella is commonly known as the knee cap ), Chondromalacia Patella, Runners Knee and general anterior knee pain around the knee cap.

Being a group class instructor for 20 years and being into a lot of high impact activities for several hours a day took a toll on my knees and when I was just 27, I was diagnosed with Chondromalacia Patella. It was so bad that I had to take support while standing and sitting. After all the treatment and recovery I started with a serious strength training program along with using a Knee Strap!

Some athletes and trainees who suffer from any such condition use a type of bracing mechanism to lend support and stability to the knee structure. One type of bracing device is the Patellar Strap or Knee Strap. This knee strap is designed to put pressure through the patella tendon ( a tendon is a connective tissue which joins the bone to the muscle ) and support the knee cap therefore improving patellar tracking ( knee cap movement ). This helps reduce the forces going through the knee cap and patella tendon. These straps are less bulky than conventional full-knee covering braces offering minimalistic approach to knee bracing.