My knee hurts! This is a common complaint groaned by millions of people worldwide. It is especially bothersome to anyone who exercises because it can completely cut out your ability to golf, run, cycle, lift weights, or do any number of sports. Yet, there is a simple self-applied treatment that quickly releases the tension in the muscles that cause knee pain.
The muscles of your thigh, your four quadriceps muscles, all merge into one tendon, called the patella tendon. Your patella tendon crosses over your kneecap and inserts into your shinbone, just under your knee joint. When your quadriceps contract normally you will straighten your leg from the bent position, and then when you bend your knee your quadriceps need to lengthen. It’s a beautiful symphony of action, and it’s happening all over your body with every movement you make.
If you are exercising, for example running, your quadriceps muscles are contracting rapidly each time you put your leg out to take a step, and opposing muscles (in this case, your hamstrings) are releasing rapidly. As your leg goes back, your knee bends, so your hamstrings are contracting and your quadriceps are lengthening. A runner is doing this repetitive movement quickly over and over, so the muscle fibers become strained and your knee hurts.
It’s simple to release the tension in your knee by doing a simple treatment to flush toxins out of your quadriceps muscles.
Start by taking a 12-18″ length of 1″ PVC pipe and press into the top of yourthigh, at the angle shown in the picture to the left.
Don’t grip the pole tightly as you’ll tire your arm and hand muscles, but rather, keep your fingers relaxed and push the pipe with the heel of your hand.
Slide – don’t roll – down your thigh to just above your kneecap. Ultimately you need to do all of the muscles of your thigh: the outer thigh, as well as the anterior and inner thigh muscles. However, the muscle (Rectus Femoris) shown in this picture is where you’ll find the most important spasm that will cause knee pain.
Keep your pressure at a “hurts so good” level, you want to lengthen the fibers and force out toxins, but you don’t want to bruise your muscles from too much pressure.
After releasing the tension in the muscles, to stretch your quadriceps, hold onto something secure and grasp the front of your ankle. Stand up straight and tall, being careful to not bend forward at your waist.
Bring your bent knee backward. The goal is to kick your foot out toward the back while still standing up straight.
This is a stretch that benefits several areas of your body all at the same time. You’ll feel this stretch in your anterior hip, your knee, and you may also feel a stretch in your low back as you are also stretching a muscle (the psoas) that causes low back pain.
If you exercise, or if you sit a lot, you’ll be amazed at how beneficial this simple treatment and stretch will be at alleviating pain.
This treatment, as well as self-applied treatments for your entire body, are taught in Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living. You don’t need to have joint pain when with just a bit of instruction, and some simple techniques, you can be PAIN-FREE!
Wishing you well,
Julie