Wanted! Ways to keep your knees happy for life

Jane Arlow • August 18, 2025

Because knees are important!

We rely on them for pretty much all movement from walking to running, jumping and climbing. So they can experience a fair amount of wear and tear. That's before you factor in things like injuries, genetics and osteoarthritis.

What's different about knee joints?

OK, The knee joint's a bit funky. It's one of the biggest joints in your body and is known as a "modified hinge joint".

This means that it opens and closes (like a door), and also allows for the fact that the top part of your leg is always in a different position (that is - it's not fixed).

The knees are also known for "being a slave to the hips and feet", meaning that pain experienced in the knee might be due to something going on above or below the joint.

Bend ze knees

(And straighten them).

There are loads of muscles, ligaments and tendons involved in flexion (bending) and extension (straightening) the knee joint.

I'm not going to give you a huge anatomy lesson, but briefly, here are the big groups of muscles involved:

Knee flexion is primarily managed by the hamstrings. They're connected at the back of your hip joint and just below your knee, to the back of your lower leg bones.
When the hamstrings contract, they bring the back of your lower leg closer to the back of your thigh.
Knee extension is primarily managed by the quads. They're connected at the front of your hip joint and just below your knee to the front of your lower leg bones.
When the quads contract, they bring the front of your lower leg closer to the front of your thigh. Of course, because of the way are knees are, only to the point where your upper and lower legs are in a straight line.

As with any joint, both groups of muscles need to have both the strength to perform their designated action AND the flexibility to allow the other group to do their job. E.g. - got tight hamstrings? It'll be difficult, unless you have very strong quads, to straighten the knee.

What can cause knee pain?

There are a lot of different reasons why you might have sore knees. And to be clear, I'm not the person to diagnose. You need a doctor for that. But here are some of the reasons why your knees might be unhappy:

- Dysfunctions in the hip joint or feet. You'll probably need a physio to diagnose what's going on and where.

- Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage (which acts as the cushioning between the bones of your upper leg and those of your lower leg) wears away so your bones rub against each other.

- Bursitis occurs when the little sacs of fluid that also help cushion the joint are irritated or inflamed. This usually happens due to overuse, direct injury or repetitive movements that put pressure on the knee.

- Ligament injuries typically occur by twisting or pivoting the knee; sudden stops or changes of direction; or direct blows (e.g.while playing sports).

- Hypermobility refers to joints that bend further than they should and may impact one or many joints; as well as other connective tissue such as skin or gut tissue.

How can you keep your knees doing their job effectively?

Show your cartilage some love

As we age, we experience a general reduction in cartilage. But you can help it cartilage by:

- Maintaining good form when you exercise to reduce the risk of abnormal twisting or bending;

- Managing your weight so you're not putting extra load through the knees.

- Eating an anti-inflammatory diet including fatty fish, nuts, seeds,fruit and veggies

Add low impact exercise to your routine

I'm not saying "give up running and high impact workouts" because it reduces bone fracture risk throughout the body.

But even so, adding some cycling, swimming or Pilates is going to help you build leg strength without putting extra load through your knees. Particularly if you're not running or doing high impact already!

Don't forget the joints above and below the knees

I mentioned that knee issues might be due to a dysfunction higher or lower than the joint itself. But even if that's not a direct cause, strengthening & stretching all the muscles up and down the chain will make your knees happier.

The sort of exercises that will help?

- Squats & lunges in as many different positions and planes of movement as possible.

- Bridges including single leg options.

- Clams, side kicks, leg circles

- Single & double leg stretch (inc. straight leg versions), hip circles

- Single and double leg kicks

And stretches like:

- Hamstring and quad stretches

- Calf and foot stretches

- Glute & hip stretches

Wear appropriate shoes.

I said it in my blog about keeping your feet happy and I'll say it again - step away from the flip-flops and high-heeled shoes please! Ideally, aim for flexible, foot-shaped shoes that mimic walking barefoot.

Join us for a class

Looking for ways to get more strength and/ or flexibility in your life? Then join us in September at one of our classes.

Booking opens to my Priority Wait Lists on 29th August for blocks starting w/c 8th September.

To get first dibs on a space, add your name to the Pilates Priority List here or to the LiFT & FLeX Priority Wait List here

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October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!