Exercise is one of the most common causes of knee pain and injury due to repeated stress. While the knees are built to withstand pressure while supporting the body, exercises like running, stretching, jumping, and bending can cause knee pain.

However, this does not mean you should put an end to your fitness journey. There are many remedies like using an ice machine for injuries and massaging the knee area with essential oils. More so, you can prevent injuries using the following strategies.

1. Wear the right shoes

Wearing the wrong workout shoes will hurt your knees. For instance, shoes with inadequate support will collapse your arches, straining your knees. The lack of support can also cause your knees to bend and become unstable.

Wearing the wrong shoes also causes fatigue to your lower body. This means your knees will tire and increase susceptibility to acute knee injuries. In addition, misalignment caused by wearing the wrong shoes forces the knees to work harder, putting continuous pressure on the kneecap, resulting in pain.

Athletic shoes are either built for stability or support. In addition, these shoes are featured by midsoles designed to prevent overpronation and cushioned heels for shock absorption.

2. Warming up before exercise

Warming up before exercise is a routine that must never be skipped. This activity helps the synovial fluid increase in the joints, thus enhancing the movement of joints, improving blood flow, and reducing soreness.

Several simple stretches prevent knee injuries. Step-ups, hamstring curls, and straight leg lifts are some of the warm exercises you can try. Note that doing stretches the wrong way can be harmful. Walking or marching on the spot for a few minutes before exercise can prevent injury and stiffness.

3. Create a diverse workout routine

Your one-dimensional workout routine may be the cause of persistent knee pain. The remedy for this is making your workout routine more diverse. This will prevent repeated stress on the knee joints.

Taking a well-rounded and balanced fitness approach will give your joints and muscles enough time to recover. For instance, if you do high-impact training, you can change it with less intense exercises like yoga, cycling, and swimming.

Cross-training will not only prevent continuous stress but will also increase flexibility and strengthen the muscles around your knees.

4. Do exercises with low impact

You don’t have to go hard while you can do exercises that create less stress and strain on your knees. If knee pain is becoming a problem and impeding your ability to exercise, then maybe it is time to change your routine.

The best cardio workouts to try include walking, circuit training, and pool exercises, to mention a few. If you are still new to your gym, it is best to progress from the low-impact workouts to the intense ones gradually. Suddenly increasing the intensity will have an impact on your knees.

Conclusion

There are many ways to keep your knee muscles and joints healthy and strong as you work out. Wear the right gear, warm up before exercise, and diversify your workout routine to reduce strain and stress on your knees.