Week 4: Warm up your knee, bring down your score

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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.

Although many players may not realize it, playing golf puts a lot of strain on your knees. 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. It's no surprise that the knee injury is among the most common injuries faced by golfers today.

To maintain knee health and reduce the risk of injury, exercise is essential. Strong, flexible leg muscles support the knee and absorb some of the force, reducing the strain on the joint itself. Changing up between aerobic exercise (to strengthen your lungs and increase stamina) and strength/flexibility training (to strengthen muscles around the knee and increase stability) can actually help maintain your knee health.

When starting your exercise routine, be sure to warm up with a short walk before performing your stretching and strengthening exercises. Keep in mind that minor muscle soreness or joint discomfort is normal, and that applying ice to your knee 15 to 20 minutes after a workout will help reduce swelling and stiffness. However, if your joints are painful over the next few days and/or if the pain increases, stop exercising and see your doctor.

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

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Here are some exercises to help keep you in the game:

Exercise 1
Sit upright with legs straight. Push very gently just above the knee. You should feel a stretch in the back of your leg. Hold for five seconds. Stop if you feel any pain.

Exercise 2
While lying on your back, grasp your shin and bend your knee toward your chest. Hold for five seconds, and then slowly lower until your leg is straight. Repeat five times.

Exercise 3
Lie on your back with one foot flat on the floor. Raise your other leg. You should feel it working your thigh. Hold for a count of five and then lower. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 4
While lying on your back, place both hands below one knee and pull gently toward your chest. This stretch works the hamstrings and gluteus maximus.

Be sure always to consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. If you experience pain at any time, stop right away.

If you are already experiencing knee pain when you golf, there are a number of possible causes. One of the most common is osteoarthritis (OA), which affects more than 20 million Americans, and is the No. 1 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. 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.

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

Various treatments exist, including non-surgical and non-drug options, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to six months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace your natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee.

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

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.