Weak in the knees?

“A boat in the harbor is safe, but in time its bottom
will rot out.” – H. Jackson Brown

The older I get the more spiritual I feel about the human body. I mean, just wow…what a divinely designed masterpiece, right? We’re lucky to have a body and even when a part of it is injured or out of whack, it’s important to remember there are millions of other parts in perfect flow. 

An especially vulnerable part of the body is our knees. Knees are relied upon greatly and they are somewhat complicated as far as joints go. I’ve personally dealt with knee stuff and they are probably the #1 most requested area for me to “go easy on.”

Babying your knees is a big mistake. They actually thrive when mindfully challenged with movement. Here are my five tips for knee happiness: 
1.Go Low
 If you are even 20lbs over an ideal weight, do low-impact. Jumping too much while carrying excess weight is a fast track to knee pain. Impact can be fantastic, but only when we are in the right weight range.
2. Simply Stretch
Stretch is as important as strength, and it’s very common to see strong quads that are not flexible. This imbalance is so often the root cause of knee problems, so stretch, especially your quadriceps. 
3. Skip the Shoes
Look at how much more muscular engagement there is when you aren’t wearing shoes. Going barefoot turns on an integrated muscle chain, increasing the stability of the knee joints. You don’t have to be barefoot 24/7 just get some barefoot time in safely, somewhere in the course of each day. 
4. Soak Up, Sleep In
Make sure you have proper time for workout recovery. Soak in epsom salt baths and definitely get your zzz’s before enduring (another) workout. Too much intensity too often, and back to back workouts without enough rest in-between, are recipes for injury.
5. Keep Moving Regardless
If you are in the midst of some knee drama, don’t give up on exercise. Check out Gentle Sculpt. It’s 20minutes of strength training with zero squats, lunges or deep knee bending, go for a swim, or find some form of movement that works for your knees. 

Knees are God-given and precious, but don’t put them up on a pedestal. Keep them safe by using them…mindfully.