Are your knees sore? Does one knee hurt, or do they both hurt?  Are your knee problems  from an injury? Or from a fall? We bounce back quicker when we’re in shape. Is the pain from arthritis? Movement is medicine. Have you been quad dominant for many years? That can cause knee issues.   If so, what do we do?  Sometimes it just takes someone correcting your form. Are you out of alignment? Perhaps book a Smart Start, (if you had one a year or so ago it may be time for a re-evaluation).  Where is the location of your knee pain?  Front, side, inner, or outer? Different exercises and stretches may be needed depending on the location of the pain. Is there inflammation? Is the inflammation on the side, or on the back? Inflammation usually subsides with ice and elevation.  Are your hamstrings asleep?  Sometimes it takes a little adjustment such as a slight shift or a modification. Modifications can include range of motion, foot stance, position, etc.  Knee joint affected by ankles, hips, tight adductors, and/or gastrocnemius (calves). The muscles that connect from either the calf to the knee or from the knee to the hip may affect the knee. Are those muscles weak? Consider incorporating workouts specific to those areas.  Are those muscles tight? Perhaps a few stretch sessions are what is needed. The muscles of the lower leg are often neglected.  We tend to do quad/hamstring or adductor/abductor exercises.  The ankles are often taken for granted. Weak ankles affect our balance and our leg movements.  We can incorporate ankle work into our workouts too. Don’t forget the feet! Our feet are our foundation, strong feet are a must! Perhaps it’s your feet that need strengthening. Toe mobility is important too.  Can you lift, wiggle, and move each toe independently? Use it or lose it! Balance is affected by our feet, toes and ankles.  Are you incorporating  multi-directional movements? Work on increasing range of motion in these different directions. Not sure if your quads are overactive, if your hamstrings are underactive, not sure about the multi-directional moves, if your feet or ankles are weak,  or not sure where to start?  Call Shapes (941) 341-9276 to book a Smart Start, Stretch session, or training sessions designed for your needs.