Knee grinding? Does walking, running, squatting or climbing stairs elicit a symphony of sounds from your knees? One reason for this may be improper patellar tracking. The patella, or the kneecap is embedded in the thick patellar tendon that runs vertically across the front of your knee. If there are imbalances in the quads, hamstrings, adductors or even the calf and shin muscles, you could be experiencing improper tracking of the knee cap resulting in popping and grinding and various other musical sounds. If you are slightly knock kneed or bow legged, you may experience improper tracking.
Well! Massage and soft tissue manipulation can help! Oh, and strengthening the muscles that have become weakened because of the overworked and over-developed muscles. If you tend to be knock kneed or maybe flat footed, strengthening the adductors (inner thigh muscles) and the quads on the medial or inside of your knee will help balance the workload on your knee. Just as, if you are bow legged or tend to roll to the outside of your feet, strengthening the lateral quads and abductors will help realign your knees.
And of course massage to help relax the tense overworked muscles and open up the fascia on the contracted side will help with alignment. Think of your knees as 360 degree joints that need strength and relaxation all the way around.
