2 December 2022
My #1 Tai Chi Technique for
Protecting Your Knees
Today's WPW shares my #1 Tai Chi technique for protecting your knees.
I call the technique "Maintaining the Two Fundamental Knee Alignments."
At the end of this email, I share a quick video guiding you through how to do it.
What are the Two Fundamental Knee Alignments?
The Two Fundamental Knee Alignments are:
1. Knee Over the Foot
By "Knee Over the Foot," I mean the center of the knee joint is more or less aligned over the centerline of the foot. The knee is not collapsed in or out.
2. Kneecap Aligned with Toes
By "Kneecap Aligned with Toes," I mean your kneecap and toes are basically pointing in the same direction. The knee is not twisting in or out.
Why Maintain the Two Fundamental Knee Alignments?
By maintaining the Two Fundamental Knee Alignments, you maintain balanced force going through the knee.
In doing so, you avoid concentrating force into a part of the knee. This is especially important with any movement involving hip rotation (see the video below).
Concentrating force in one part of the knee, if the force is strong enough, can injure the knee, or irritate an existing condition, like knee osteoarthritis.
That causes pain and impair our ability to function. Not what we want!
Can You Show Me How To Do It?
Sure! It's what I do for a living. 😀
In the video below, I show:
- The Two Fundamental Knee Alignments
- How to maintain those alignments when rotating the hips
- What happens when you don't maintain the Two Fundamental Knee Alignments
Click the player below and check it out.
If you find this video helpful, please like and comment on YouTube and share it on social media.
Millions of adults suffer with chronic knee pain. Tai Chi for Knee Health can help.
Thanks!
Chris Cinnamon, JD, MS
Certified Exercise Physiologist
Head Instructor
Author, Tai Chi for Knee Health