The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. Early in the season it is important to prevent knee injuries to make sure you can last the sport season. Many sports place extreme stress on the knee so they are very vulnerable to injury.

The smart choice is to do what you can to prevent a knee injury so you can keep playing what you love this sports season. Hopefully, you have put in enough training in the preseason so you now should focus on injury prevention while playing.

9 tips to prevent knee injuries:

1. Warm up, stretch and cool down at training and game day.
2. Focus your training program on developing strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.
3. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of training as the season progresses
4. Allow adequate recovery time between training sessions and games.
5. Wear the correct protective equipment including footwear - good shoes will help to keep knees stable, provide cushioning and support the knees and lower leg.
6. Check your training and playing environment for hazards eg uneven surfaces.
7. Avoid activities that cause pain.
8. Drink plenty of water before, during and after play.
9. See your physiotherapist if you need advice about your training or injury concerns.

Immediate management of a knee injury:

RICER protocol – Rest – Ice – Compression – Elevation – Referral

Continue RICE for 48–72 hours to reduce the bleeding and damage within the joint.

Rest the knee in an elevated position with an ice pack applied for 20 minutes every two hours (wrap the ice in a towel/cloth – do not apply ice directly to the skin).

Wear a compression bandage to limit swelling and bleeding in the joint.

Also use the No HARM protocol to decrease swelling and bleeding in the injured area.

No Heat – No Alcohol – No Running or activity – No Massage.

See your physiotherapist or sports medicine professional as soon as possible to determine the extent of the injury and any treatment required.

For more information on preventing and managing knee injuries see: Sports Medicine Australia, ligament injuries, cartilage injuries

With gyms reopening this week you need to have a plan for how to safely return to your pre-isolation gym exercise routine. A lot can happen to your body in 3 months and you need to be kind to it to get the rewards you're looking for.

How will isolation affect your return to the gym?

Many people have continued with regular exercise at home but the type and intensity may have been quite different from what they were doing before, leading to reduced strength and conditioning. For those who used their extra time to increase walking, cycling or running their cardiovascular fitness may have dramatically improved however their strength may have deteriorated. Many have been more sedentary and significantly reduced their energy output leading to reduced overall fitness.

Your muscles and tendons are likely to have shrunk during COVID-19 isolation and this makes you more susceptible to injury. You may feel great after your first few sessions, however, niggles may appear or you may get a flare-up of a previous injury. This is your body telling you to slow down, decrease frequency, intensity and duration, or take a rest.

If you start off by placing too large of a demand on your body, you run the risk of injury and a return to isolation – exercise isolation!!

Tips for a healthy return to the gym and to avoid injury

• don't expect to start where you left off
  • ease back into your exercise regime
  • start with flexibility workouts in order to increase blood flow and circulation while assisting in range of motion and joint mobility
  • add in light cardiorespiratory workouts if you have taken a serious break from all exercise
  • drop your weights for the first few weeks by at least 20% and up to 30% if you have not been training at all
  • be realistic with the number of days you exercise
  • trial 3 days per week for the first few weeks
  • rest between sessions to allow sufficient recovery
  • listen to your body and slow down or stop exercises that give you ‘niggles’
  • look after your form and keep a check on your posture
  • get your technique checked.

Most of all you need to look after your own health and safety in the gym. You may choose to drop your weights rather than have a spotter or do exercises you are familiar with rather than trying something new and having poor technique.

Be mindful of your end goal and do your best to stay on track – avoiding injury setbacks.

You know where we are if you need us to check your technique and advise you on safely returning to your pre-COVID exercise program.