Week 2: The hole in your game might be your knees

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The fundamental concept of a golf swing is the transfer of weight from the player's back foot to the front, supported mainly by the knees.

This is a paid placement by DePuy Mitek, Inc. The opinions expressed below are those of DePuy Mitek, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PGA TOUR.

Among the most common health problems faced by golfers, both professionals and amateurs, is the knee injury. Knees have always played an integral role in the game of golf. After all, the fundamental concept of a golf swing is the transfer of weight from the player's back foot to the front, supported mainly by the knees. However, contemporary golfers have developed such powerful swings that their back knee flex has developed into an incredibly important component of the game.

Your back knee is not only a pivot point for the backswing, but also a launching pad for the downswing. Keeping your back knee flexed helps keep your hips more level and prevents your weight from falling forward and results in a reverse weight shift. This means that tremendous strain is placed on the knees.

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The pressure that golf puts on the knees can often lead to injury.

This strain has caused some of the world's best golfers to sustain knee injuries that have kept them out of competition for extended periods of time. However it wasn't until the world's number one golfer took an eight-month hiatus due to arthroscopic knee surgery that everyone took notice, and the vital role of knee health in the game of golf became studied much more closely.

There are a number of causes of knee pain. One of the most common is osteoarthritis (OA), which affects more than 20 million Americans, and is the number one cause of disability in the United States. OA of the knee is a condition in which your knee's natural lubricant starts to break down.

Think of joint fluid  hyaluronic acid  as the knee's shock absorber. If it's not working properly, you start to feel more pain and discomfort when you move your knee. Over time, as joint fluid continues to break down, cartilage wears away and bones may even start to rub against each other, causing increased pain and swelling.

To help relieve pain, people with OA tend to keep their knee bent because their knee feels more comfortable in that position. However, although this may bring temporary relief, holding a joint in the same position for too long can cause permanent loss of mobility and further hinder the ability to perform daily activities.

Precaution and prevention are two important strategies to consider when it comes to knee problems, and strengthening the knee is one important form of prevention. In fact, research shows that exercise is one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis. Exercise improves mood, outlook, decreases pain, increases flexibility, improves blood flow, helps maintain weight and promotes general physical fitness.

There are three types of exercise that are important to maintaining or improving knee health: range-of-motion, strengthening and endurance.

Range-of-motion exercises (also called stretching or flexibility exercises) help maintain normal knee function by increasing and preserving mobility and flexibility. These exercises are designed to straighten and bend the knee, in a controlled manner, as far as it comfortably will go in order to help condition the affected knee.

Strengthening exercises build up stronger muscles to help keep weak knees stable and comfortable, protecting them against further damage. When performed properly, strengthening exercises can maintain or increase muscle tissue to support your muscles without aggravating your knee.

Endurance training involves aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate for a prolonged period of time. Aerobic activity conditions the heart and lungs to strengthen the lungs and increase stamina.

(Please note that you should always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. If you experience pain at any time, stop right away.)

If you're living with OA of the knee and you're not getting enough relief from exercise or pain relievers, there is more you can do to help manage your knee pain and restore movement.

Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you.

Or visit our website at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ORTHOVISC® is for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. ORTHOVISC® is not for use in people with known allergy to hyaluronate preparations, to gram bacterial proteins, with infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint. Common side effects include joint pain, back pain, headaches and pain or redness at the injection site.