How to Rest and Recover from a Knee Injury Properly

After you've suffered from a sudden knee injury, it's generally a good idea to rest the afflicted area for a few days so that it has chance to heal and rejuvenate. Without the right amount of rest, you could find that consistent strain around your knee joint leads to increased swelling, additional pain, and even further damage - even when you're using your knee compression therapy for support.

However, most people struggle when it comes to determining exactly how much rest is appropriate following an injury. In fact, a range of myths regarding exercise and knee pain have left many of us wondering how we can support an effective and successful recovery.

Can You Rest Too Much?

You might think that it's impossible to take too much time off your feet when you're suffering from aching joints and swollen knees - but the truth is that there is such a thing as "too much rest". It's crucial that you start to get moving again after a few days of recovery, otherwise, the muscles in your legs could begin to weaken, and the joint may start to stiffen. As things continue to heal, you need to work the injured area of your body so that they don't seize up.

If a muscle isn't used at all, then it gradually begins to lose strength, meaning that you're more likely to fall victim to an injury all over again when you do get up and start moving. Unfortunately, many people avoid using their limbs properly following an injury because they're nervous about suffering from too much pain or discomfort. While it's important to listen to your body during recovery and stop when you notice something wrong - it's also crucial to get up and moving so you can boost your recovery.

How to Recover from a Knee Injury without Losing Strength

Fortunately for those who are concerned with finding out how to recover from a knee injury and maintain leg strength without excessive pain, there are plenty of ways you can carefully work your muscle without aggravating an existing issue, or making an injury worse. Most of the time, this simply means speaking to your doctor or physical therapist about the gentle exercises that you can use to regain mobility in the injured joint. For instance, some experts may recommend using anisometric contraction (tensing the muscle without moving the joint), to maintain strength in the muscle while the joint continues to heal.

Keep in mind that during the stages of recovery that follow after your initial resting phase, your aim shouldn't be to work the muscle as hard as possible. Instead, you should be pushing the muscle to work just a little bit more each day so that it can recover and repair itself properly. If you're worried about your chosen exercise regime, or you need advice choosing exercise solutions that are safe, remember to speak to your doctor, or talk to a physical rehabilitation expert for additional guidance.

How to Recover from a Knee Injury without Losing Strength

Fortunately for those who are concerned with finding out how to recover from a knee injury and maintain leg strength without excessive pain, there are plenty of ways you can carefully work your muscle without aggravating an existing issue, or making an injury worse. Most of the time, this simply means speaking to your doctor or physical therapist about the gentle exercises that you can use to regain mobility in the injured joint. For instance, some experts may recommend using anisometric contraction (tensing the muscle without moving the joint), to maintain strength in the muscle while the joint continues to heal.

Keep in mind that during the stages of recovery that follow after your initial resting phase, your aim shouldn't be to work the muscle as hard as possible. Instead, you should be pushing the muscle to work just a little bit more each day so that it can recover and repair itself properly. If you're worried about your chosen exercise regime, or you need advice choosing exercise solutions that are safe, remember to speak to your doctor, or talk to a physical rehabilitation expert for additional guidance.

If you've recently found the thing that motivates you to stay active on a regular, or even daily basis, then the chances are that a single injury isn't going to be the thing that confines you to the couch. A number of high performance accessories today are not only encouraging people to work out, but giving them the drive they need to exercise more often than ever. Many athletes who suffer from regular injuries such as sprains and strains around their joints are happy to simply use things like knee compression therapy to enhance their recovery speed, then jump straight back into training.

Unfortunately, it's important to be cautious about the way you act following an injury - as piling too much work on yourself straight away can lead to further problems, or even more serious ailments. That's why we've put together this list of simple tips to follow when you want to keep training after an injury.

Step 1: Be Realistic

First of all, if you've suffered an injury, it's important to remember that you're not going to be able to perform at the same level that you could achieve when you were in fighting form. No matter how much your knee compression therapy seems to help, you're going to need to give yourself some time to recover, and this often means cutting back on high-impact activities that could aggravate or worsen your condition.

Step 2: Listen to Your Body

For some people, injuries can be difficult to gage when they're in the midst of recovery. A sprain or strain that seems to be relatively painless might push someone to run faster, or farther on the track, only to find that they're suddenly overcome with pain. Remember that when you're recovering, it's best to add to your training regimen a little bit at a time. Don't go for too much, too fast, and listen to your body. If something is too painful, simply stop what you're doing - as it's really not worth the risk of an additional injury.

Step 3: Put Your Recovery First

When recovering from an injury, your first priority should be to encourage healing in the injured aspect of your body. Remember to use your time at work and at home to fuel your recovery, using lacrosse balls and foam rollers to work out adhesions and spasms, or icing an injured joint every so often to enhance healing speeds. Though it can be hard to recognize that you need to take some time off your feet - remember that your health should always come first.

Step 4: Adjust Your Workout

Finally, keep in mind that if you've injured your knee, you can still perform workouts that don't use the knee quite so often. Adjusting your exercise routine could help to give the injured part of your body the rest it needs, while ensuring that you still get a chance to build your muscles and improve your overall well being. Ask your doctor or a physical therapist which activities may be best for you to avoid during your recovery, then build a new routine around those considerations.

How to Prevent Knee Injuries in the Future

After you’ve recovered from your knee injury, it’s best that you understand how to ensure that you don’t injure yourself again. So how can you get back on the road to prevent knee injury?

1. Invest in Protection

If you've ever been in a professional race, or taken part in a fun run, the chances are you've seen someone wearing a neoprene sleeve or bandage over their shins or knees. They're not just doing this because it's a way to keep their extremities warm - these sleeves are actually carefully designed to support the knee joint, reducing some of the impact taken while running, and absorbing excess strain to keep your leg as strong and stable as possible. By far, one of the best ways to prevent knee injury, is to get the protection specifically designed for the job.

These sleeves can even act as additional rehabs for your joints after an injury, making sure that you heal faster, and feel less discomfort.

1. Don't Get Ahead of Yourself

Once you're properly prepared to start running like a pro, focus on your technique. Avoid striking the pavement on your heel and letting your feet get ahead of you. Your legs should be swinging backwards, not forwards, otherwise you'll be working against yourself with every footstep, leading to extra stress on your shins and knees. As you run, focus on hitting the ground with the ball of your foot every time.

1. Keep your Knees Down and Your Heels Up

Remember those running magazines that tell you to keep your knees up when you run? Ignore them.

If you focus on keeping your knees up with every stride, then your lower leg will be swinging forwards, bringing your heel down too quickly and sending shock waves up to your joints every time you hit the ground. Instead, aim to keep your knees swinging as low as possible, and at the end of each stride, bend your knees so that your heels float behind you. It's your heels that should be hitting the air, not your knees.

1. Keep Your Feet Pointed Forwards

Finally, make sure that your feet don't splay out towards the sides while you're running. When your focus is on speed, it can be difficult to ensure you're always pointing your toes in the right direction, but when your feet splay, your ankle bends inwards, creating a torque in the lower leg. This means that you're dealing with a sensation akin to having someone grab your ankle constantly and twist it, leading to discomfort all the way through the legs - especially in the ankles and knees.

In Conclusion…

A good running technique is all about being conscious of how you place your feet as you move, and the way that you angle your body. Often, the best way to get started in improving your method is to go running and simply listen to your body. Don't worry about speed or distance, but instead find a comfortable rhythm that works for you, and protects your joints.