NO PAIN, NO GAIN – BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Fitness, bodybuilding & weightlifting have become a crucial part of your day to day activity.
We completely agree that to achieve heights in the fitness industry you need to train insane, you need to become a beast.
You need to lift kilos, practice squats, practice deadlifts for long sessions to grow bigger & harder.
But,
Are you doing it with proper safety measures?
Which is the most important body part while weightlifting or squats ?
Definitely !!!! Your Knee.
“The best way to maintain a healthy weight is to lift weight”.
Lifting heavy weights, puts particularly more pressure on joints, particularly knee joints.
Don’t you believe it . Okay !!!!
Let’s dive deep, to see some injuries caused by knee pains while performing weight lifting exercises
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
This ligament ties the femur bone of the thigh to the tibia or shin bone of the lower leg and controls excessive rotation or extension of the knee joint.. ACL injuries are seen mostly in athletes. Severe damage to the ACL usually means surgical reconstruction and up to 12 months rehabilitation. So, while lifting weight, be careful not to allow twisting knee movements under excessive load, intentionally or accidentally.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)
The PCL connects the femur and tibia at different points to the ACL and controls any rearward motion of the tibia at the joint. The PCL is mostly injured with high-impact forces as a result of accidents .
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
This ligament protects the knee from bending too far to the inside (medially). Damaged MCLs mostly occur from an impact to the outside of the knee, or even from an accidental bodyweight force when the leg reaches an unusual angle.
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
This is the opposite ligament to the MCL. It's on the outside of the knee and controls excessive movement outward. This ligament connects the fibula (the smaller bone of the lower leg) to the femur. Similarly, the LCL is injured when a force pushes the knee outward.
Cartilage Injury
Cartilage prevents bones from rubbing together and cushions impacts. The two knee menisci are cartilages that cushion the inside and outside of the knee joint. Other types of cartilage protect the ends of the thigh and shin bones. When cartilage is torn or damaged, surgery may be necessary.
Tendonitis
Aggravated and overused tendons of the knee can cause disabling knee injuries.
KNOWLEDGE PREVENTS INJURY
You can easily avoid injury by using a cautious and knowledgeable approach to weightlifting exercises.
Your weight lifting technique, your consistency with proper safety measures is the ultimate goal to success.
So, if you are training without proper knee safety measures, you have a high chance to land in these injuries.
Check out the golden triangle of success:- :
In, this article you will get a detailed analysis of knee safety measures.
How can you keep your knee safe ?
“Wrap your Knee, For a Safe Knee”
Yes !!! Knee Wraps for gym is the best way to keep your knee safe.
Everytime when you squat using weights you tend to put pressure on your knee joints.
If you do not use the right equipment, you have a risk doing damage that could have a serious impact on your ability to train.
One of the most important pieces of equipment you must use is squat wraps. These wraps are basically made of the same material as wrist wraps.
They can be wrapped around the knee, either spirally or diagonally in order to provide support when squatting to lift weights.
Wraps are a very popular form of knee protection for squats because they enable power lifters to lift higher weights, by enabling them to produce more power when they lift.
But,
It’s important to make sure that you choose good quality squat wraps that suit your needs .
We are going to tell you about the things you must consider to choose best knee wrap for squats on the market. But, first let’s know knee wrap.
What is a Knee Wrap ?
Knee Wraps are made of elastic material which is typically found in wrist wraps. It is designed to be wrapped around knee while weightlifting to provide comfort , improve efficiency and avoid any kind of knee pain while squatting or weight lifting.
How does Knee Wraps work?
The simple fact is that it applies more force when you are lifting something. This is because the wraps have stored elastic energy which means that you get a greater amount of upward propulsion when you commence the concentric part of the squat.
It helps to increase efficiency as they reduce the amount of horizontal displacement that happens during the eccentric part of the squat.
It helps to improve your technique and provide additional force to lift higher amounts of weight. It helps you to lift more weight, safely and efficiently.
It helps to reduce stress on quadriceps tendon. The tendon attaches your quadriceps muscles and your patella (knee cap). By, reducing stress in this way it helps to make it less likely that the tendon will detach from the patella while you are training.
Where can knee wrap be used ?
Knee Wraps flexible nature makes it handy and a irreplaceable material for fitness freaks. It can be used for various purposes :-
- Knee Wraps for Powerlifting
Knee Wraps are a popular form of knee protection for powerlifting because it enable powerlifters to lift more weight. Knee Wraps Protects Knees and Distributes Weight Evenly on two knees permitting the knee to lift more weight by providing adequate knee support.
- Knee Wraps for Weightlifting
The Neoprene material makes it lightweight and breathable. The high quality fabric in knee wrap provides high quality compression and comfort. It’s made of high quality Neoprene material which is super soft, breathable and helps to retain body heat to warm knee joint and aids blood circulation. The flexibility and elasticity of the knee wrap makes it a one stop choice for the lifters whose dream is to lift weight.
- Knee Wraps for Squats
Squatting using weight produces pressure on knee joints.A slight mistake, could result in a serious injury to knee and a big question mark on your ability to train further.The best way to avoid this is to use knee wraps for knee pain.It’s breathable and elastic nature provides compression and knee support enabling to squat without any tension.
Is knee sleeves better than knee wraps ?
Knee Sleeves vs. Knee Wraps
The difference between knee sleeves and knee wraps is that knee wraps are more of a “one trick” solution.
Wraps are great for things like heavy squats, weightlifting, powerlifting and other high fitness activities.
Knee sleeves, on the other hand, are best fit into the CrossFit athlete mode because they are designed to do a lot of things.
Both knee sleeves and wraps provide stability, warmth, and support for the knee joint. Both can help with pre-existing knee injuries, too.
How to choose a best knee wrap for squatting, powerlifting ?
- Softness :-If you are using knee protection for squats for the first time , it will take time to get used to high levels of compression. So, opting for a softer knee wrap, will be a better experience for you.
- Good Quality :-Knee wraps do stretch over a long period of time because they are made from elastic, but you do not want it to tear within three weeks of buying them. Opt, for a better quality product.
- Length of Knee Wrap :- You need to definitely take care about how long a knee wrap needs to be. in order to provide the right amount of knee protection for squats. Knee Wrap should be wrapped around your knee and also around the few inches of leg above and below the knee joint. Opt, for a long knee wrap.
- Knee Wrap Cost :- Definitely , buying the best product at the cheapest price should be your main goal. A product with all above mentioned qualities and a price anywhere below Rs. 1000 will be a dream product for you.
Why should you use knee wraps for weight lifting?
- Knee wraps, when applied properly, it provides some additional support to the joint. This allows the body to handle more weight on the squat than it would be able to otherwise.
- Knee Wraps breathable nature provides compression to the knee joint and aids blood circulation which in turn safeguards the knee to come across any injury.
HOW TO USE KNEE WRAPS FOR SQUATS OR WEIGHTLIFTING ?
- Sit down while you wrap your knees. This is not something you can do while standing up
- Pre-stretch your knee wraps tightly. It makes them easier to apply
- Stretch out your but keep it relaxed
- Start at the back of the knee, at the crease
- Wrap your knees in to out as this will help to force your knees out, when you squat and will give you more comfort and more power.
- Stretch the wraps to the right level, stretching them too much will end up causing the knee to have no movement.
CONCLUSION :-
Obviously, every individual has to make the best choice for them, but we have listed down the reasons :-
- Why Knee Wrap is important ?
- How KneeWrap can help you to stay safe and lift more weight ?
- How to use knee wrap?
Hope , this article provides value to your fitness life .
Click on the link below to hijack a knee wrap and train safe and insane in 2020