Keeping Your Knees Surf-Ready with Controlled Articular Rotations
The knees is one of the most important joints in the body, and knees are particularly important for surfers, since most of our movements on a wave are powered by our core and upper legs.
Importance of Healthy Knees for Surfing
Surfing is a dynamic sport that involves a lot of twisting and torquing movements, which means that the knees are put through a lot of stress during every session. In order to ensure that we are surfing at our best—and to help reduce the risk of injury—it is important to maintain healthy, flexible knees that are ready for anything.
Knee CAR Exercise
One of the best exercises we surfers can do to keep our knees healthy is called a knee CAR (which stands for controlled articular rotations). This exercise helps improve blood flow to the knee (which facilitates healing), maintains healthy flexibility and range of motion, and improves neuromuscular capacities. I recently found a very helpful Instagram video that gives an informative demonstration of the knee CAR exercise, as well as a thorough explanation of its benefits.
How to Do the Exercise
The exercise is quite simple, and only takes a minute to perform. The Instagram post suggests that you repeat it three times per knee, once per day. All you have to do is sit on the ground, support your upper thigh with your hands, and bend and unbend the knee slowly while articulating the lower leg (i.e., rotating it one direction and then the other). By doing this, you are able to keep the joint mobile, improve nutrient flow to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and work out any tightness or crepitus from past trauma.
When to Do the Exercise
I suggest doing this exercise in the morning right after you wake up. Not only is it a great way to get the body moving and start your day, but it also warms the knees up before your daily activities (and, hopefully, before a fun dawn patrol surf session!).
Keep those knees healthy and we will see you in the water!
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