Aching backs and noisy knees

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If getting out of bed is painful and the thought of walking up stairs makes you cringe, you are not alone. In fact, lower back pain and knee pain are two of the most common musculoskeletal problems people experience, and more times than not, the pain happens “just because”.  Or at least, that is how it seems, and the older we get, the more it seems we are plagued with pain in these areas that sometimes stops us in our tracks.

But knee and back pain don’t just occur because of your age. Understanding the design of the human body will reveal some simple solutions you can put into place to get rid of pain and put some spring back into your step. Though your low back and knees are nowhere near each other, they share a common trait. They are stuck in the middle with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. 

Your lower back is positioned just above your hips and below your thoracic spine. The hips and thoracic spine play a large role in helping you rotate when you lift, push, pull, walk and run. Sitting or inactivity may cause these areas to become less flexible, forcing the low back to have to carry more of the load of your every day activities. 

A healthy back depends on flexible hips and upper back. There are simple exercises you can try to loosen your hips. Stretching your hips and thoracic spine in all three planes of motion will ensure that your low back is protected with your daily activities.

Another culprit in lower back pain is the psoas (hip flexor) muscle, a large muscle that attaches from the spine to your thigh bone and acts to flex your hip. But due to its attachment on the spine, if it becomes tight it may also pull your spine forward, causing hyperextension and a jamming sensation in the back. Many people with psoas tightness will experience an aching sensation in the low back that is often made worse with prolonged standing or walking. They may also experience low back stiffness when attempting to get out of bed in the morning. 

Due to their functional connection, activating the abdominal, gluteal and quadricep muscles will help relax your psoas muscle and release the tightness in your lower back. Try the following simple exercises to Unlock Your Psoas. If the psoas is the culprit behind your pain, do these exercises before and after the things that cause you the most lower back pain and you just might find your back pain is no longer!

The knee is also a joint stuck in the middle of two key parts: the ankle and the hip. In fact, your kneecap sits on your thigh bone (femur), but is connected to your lower leg bone (tibia). This means in order to function without pain in your knees, these bones have to move in a coordinated fashion. The femur takes its cue from the hip joint above and tibia takes its cue from the ankle below. 

In addition to the hip stretches already mentioned, watching the way you walk can help keep your knees healthy. Your feet should be pointed straight ahead and you should walk with your feet only 2”-4” apart. Walking this way ensures that your hips and ankles stay flexible with every step you take.

Another way to ensure your ankles stay mobile is to make sure to push off of your big toe when you walk. Many people walk without their big toe touching the ground. This may cause ankle stiffness that results in abnormal rotational forces at the knee, which is often the cause for pain under your kneecap or deep in your knee.

In summary, the key to a healthy back and knees is to make sure the joints above and below these areas are flexible and strong. Take a few minutes to try the following exercises. A few minutes today can save you from pain in the future.

Exercises:

Mid Back Movers – Use these moves to unlock your thoracic spine

Hip, Hip, Hooray! – Do these exercises to loosen up your hips and strengthen your hip muscles

Unlock Your Psoas – Shut down this muscle that can cause lower back pain

Footloose and Ankle Free – Use these exercises to loosen up your feet and ankles

 Walking Warm-Up: Walk each of the following patterns for 20 yards:

  • Side Step (with knees slightly unlocked)
  • Crossover step (cross one foot in front of the other as you walk 
  • sideways.) Keep your toes pointed straight ahead
  • Long stride (Take a long step. Make sure your back foot stays pointed straight ahead.)

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