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Welcome to the Return 2 Sport PT blog. Here, we share insights and tips to improve your movement quality, alleviate pain and dysfunction, and equip you with the knowledge to maintain a pain-free and active lifestyle for the long haul.

The Bee's Knees

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August 11, 2025•3 min read

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The Bee's Knees

Next up on the list of joints to talk about is the knee. Knee pain is super common and there are several structures involved that can and do cause pain and injury. And contrary to what your physician and local non running friends may think, Running does not ruin your knees! And more than that more recent systematic reviews shoe more development of osteoarthritis and cartilage loss in non-runners than runners. So get out there and load em up cause they are designed to move!

General Anatomy

In its most basic aspect we have the femur on top and the tibia below creating what we call a hinge joint. The fibula off to the side does not contribute to the knee joint itself but has several attachments across the joint line. the primary muscles crossing the joint are the quadriceps doing extension, hamstrings performing flexion, and gastrocnemius also helping with knee flexion but mostly as a stabilizer. Inside the knee we have 2 menisci that are provide surface contact between the bones for shock absorption and stability. Then surrounding the joint are several ligaments including the ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL.

Biomechanics

While the primary motion at the knee is flexion and extension like a hinge, there is quite a bit of rotation within the joint to provide more dynamic motion. The patella is an interesting joint as it is floating above the tibiofemoral joint and provides a fulcrum for the quad to extend the knee. Without it knee extension would be near impossible. Movement and problems above and below this joint play a far more significant role in injury than the movement of the knee itself.

Exercises and things to do

When it comes to improving knee pain, we often go to the hip. Weakness there causes a valgus force (knock knees) which can lead to ITB issues, runners knee, and patellar tendonitis. So primary things to work on here are exercises like hip abduction, runners clamshells, and other lateral based movements.

Beyond just strengthening the quad, hamstrings and hips, it is essential to work on stability and control. If you can't maintain good control of the knee in space injury is far more likely to happen. So do things like single leg RDLs, BOSU balance work, and plyometrics like hopping and landing on one leg.

Stretch! We often find ourselves as either students or office workers and we sit way too much. This position shortens our quads and hamstrings and this diminished ability to lengthen tissue causes increased stress on the joint and tendons and is a big factor in knee pain.

Knee pain can be really easy to fix. Sometimes it just takes finding out what the necessary things to do are. Let us help!

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