RuDel Wilson, 35, said Friday he plans a workout program to help with some knee problems. Active in basketball since he was a boy, and a standout in high school, sports taught him to take care of his body.

“I just started today,” he said. “My goal is some cardiovascular work to stay in shape. I came in here (Champion Fitness on East Shawnee Bypass) because my knee is bothering me. I’ve been less active. I notice that when I’m not active, I’ll start feeling an ache and a pain here and there.”

According to AHealthyMe.com, more people in the United States visit an orthopedic surgeon because of knee problems than any other complaint. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that more than 16 million patients ended up in a doctor’s office with knee pain in 2005. Down the road, many of these folks will end up with osteoarthritis in their damaged knee joints. But this doesn’t have to happen. A little prevention now can save considerable pain later.

Wilson said he has always been careful to take care of his knees along with the rest of his physical health.

“I knew there was a risk of knee injury in basketball, but I never had any problem,” he said. “It’s when I stopped playing that I began to notice something. I woke up one day and my knee was swollen. I could hardly move it. This was about two weeks after I stopped playing.”

AHealthyMe.com says that the knee is the largest joint in the body and one of the most easily damaged. Ligament sprains and cartilage tears are the most common knee injuries. Ligaments help control motion by connecting bones and bracing joints against abnormal impact. Cartilage cushions your knee and helps absorb shock when the joint is in motion.

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in the joint gradually wears away. The condition may result from a deformity in the joint, repeated injury, or the stress of excess body weight, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

Eric McDonald, lead trainer at Champion Fitness, said that certain activities are likely to over stress the knee.

“Most functions do not produce a lot of stress on the knees,” he said. “Physical activities like skiing, field sports and basketball produce shear force; that’s where the damage is done. Shear is when forces push the tibia and fibula (below the knee) one way and opposing forces are pushing the femur (above the knee) the other way.”

McDonald said a person also can get hurt at work if they step off into something at a bad angle or have bad lifting habits. He described good lifting.

“When squatting or lifting, your weight should be back, your chest up and your head high” he said. “That affects the muscles of the posterior chain. The idea is to maintain that S-curve (of the spine) in the back. The will also save the muscles of the lower back. The wrong way to do it is to squat straight down. I liken the correct posture to have your hands full and having to push your car door shut with your buttocks.”

McDonald said the short version is that most knee problems are the result of improper technique during any physical activity or prolonged lack of physical activity.

“Use it or lose it,” he said. “I recommend people get out and get regular exercise, and consult with a fitness professional about proper fitness technique.”

Reach Keith Purtell at 918-684-2925 or Click Here to Send Email