by Liz Bonis, WKRC || Click here to read the full article

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A few simple steps can help prevent knee injuries if you are trying to get-in more outdoor activities in the warmer months.

If you’ve decided to shape up this summer and be more active – physical therapists say protect your knees.

Common knee injuries can sideline you pretty quickly.

Patty McClanahan knows what that feels like. Her knees got so bad one of them had to be replaced with a new joint.

“It’s still stiff but I’m coming along.”

Much of what she’s doing here with OrthoCincy’s physical therapy recovery team could help all of us keep our knees healthy and strong especially in the summer months.

“In the summer, people tend to be outside more, you may change the surfaces you are walking on, you may have more hills or be walking on uneven ground,” said OrthoCincy physical therapist Emily Rolf.

So Rolf says start slowly to avoid strains and sprains and arthritis flare ups, the most common knee troubles right now.

“Don’t go out and walk a 5K if you haven’t walked all winter long.”

Second, stretch the muscles around the knee before you move.

“Your quads, your glutes, doing some of your basic exercises like that.”

And finally, do some strengthening exercises to build the muscles around the knee like straight leg raises,

Bridges that lift your hips up and down and some heel raises that come up and down on your toes.

Those “are all some muscles that can help protect the knee and keep them strong.”

You can self refer to a physical therapist if you need to improve knee strength.