Let’s Move…with the Knees You’ve Got
When people come up to me before class to quickly give me a head’s up about an ailment they are struggling with, nine times out of ten it’s knee stuff. They may have injured it long ago playing soccer, or perhaps it’s a mysterious pain. (Oh, if I had a dime for every time I heard, “I have a bad knee.”)
The knee is a complicated joint and unlike the elbow, the knee bares our body’s weight a lot of the time. I’m extra sympathetic towards those with knee woes because I too had a knee woe that lasted for a couple of years. I really don’t know how I got it, and while I have some theories, I don’t quite know how and why it left, but I’m glad it’s gone. I literally woke up one day and the pain had vanished, and by the end of that day, I promised God I would never take my fully functioning knees for granted ever again!
Now, because everyone’s knee issues are all different, I can’t really offer specific advice or exercises, but what I can do is make sure you sustain a winning mindset when it comes to your knees. Here are three crucial no-no’s: first off, don’t call your knees “bad” – they are actually magnificent works of art that just need extra love and attention. Secondly, don’t throw in the towel on movement. Efficient and effect workouts are still possible (like Gentle Sculpt). And last but not least, don’t grin and bear it. Alter your workouts in order to accommodate your knee and avoid irritating it further.
Knee problems stink, but my sincere hope is that Gentle Sculpt helps keep everyone moving, regardless of knee status. And hey, if you are struggling, chin up sister! Challenges are opportunities and meant to be overcome.