The Knee Bone’s Connected to the Hip Bone . . .

Knee pain is a common complaint for runners and other athletes as well as the general population.   If your knee pain starts underneath your kneecap or on the front of your knee, it may actually be the result of a hip problem.

If the hip muscles are not strong enough, (esp. in women) hips get turned inward.  This results in the legs not being properly lined up making the knees “cave and knock”.  The imbalance puts extra pressure on the knee joint.

Strengthening the hip muscles can correct and even prevent the problem.  When the stabilizing muscles are strong, the hips will be lined up properly which in turn allows the knees to be lined up correctly – preventing the extra pressure caused by improper alignment.

One study reported pain relief after just 8 weeks of 2 simple hip-focused moves.  Another reported that of a group of female athletes forced to restrict sports due to knee pain, 85% were able to return to their preferred sport after completing a 12-week hip-strengthening program.

Include hip strengthening moves into your routines to help prevent knee pain from developing.   Talk to your doctor of chiropractic for suggestions on strengthening exercises that would be beneficial to you.  If you do not have a regular chiropractor, you can find a TCA member doctor here.