Health and fitness: How to repair your knees

Surgery is not the only option for serious knee injuries, new research has found. Here’s how to avoid the knife.

Walking is one of the best ways to help to prevent knee pain and aid recovery

Consider exercise over surgery

Surgery is often considered the only option for serious knee injuries such as cruciate ligament tears, but a new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests in many cases it is not necessary to go under the knife.

“From our new meta-analysis we show that there are no clinically relevant differences between early surgery and rehab with exercise,” says Professor Daniel Belavy, lead author of the paper from the University of Applied Sciences in Bochum, Germany. In addition, he and his team found that ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery had no protective effect against future knee osteoarthritis and that “a significant improvement in knee function could be achieved” with exercise just as well as with surgery.

“Carefully structured exercise rehab with a professional is the way forward,” Belavy says.

Massaging and working the quadriceps at the front of the thigh can address the root of many knee injuries.

Try self-massage for the knee

It’s important not to stress injured knees while they are healing, and gentle strengthening techniques can be the first step to recovery, says the osteopath James Davies, author of Body. “Massaging and working the quadriceps at the front of the thigh can address the root of many knee injuries,” he says.

To do this, sit on a chair with feet on the floor and place both hands on one knee above the joint, wrapping fingers around the back of the knee so that thumbs are at the front of your legs. Grip the area above the kneecap with the thumbs and bend and straighten the knee 8-10 times. Repeat on the other knee.

Walk and do tiny squats

Walking is one of the best ways to help to prevent knee pain and aid recovery since any movement helps to heal a joint provided that it doesn’t cause pain, Davies says.

You should also add some mini squats when you are strong enough and your knee is healing.

“These are not squats as you know them, but from a standing position bend both legs only by about 20 degrees for 6-8 repetitions,” he says.

“This very small amount of movement will help to lubricate the joint. Increase the depth only when your knee gets better and there is absolutely no pain.”

The Times