Feel Better Knees: Anatomy and Loads

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explore the prevalence and underlying causes of knee issues, from popping and noisy knees to everyday pain and osteoarthritis. The knee is not just a simple hinge, and Katy explains its anatomy using a helpful “cube” model that includes bones, ligaments, cartilage, and the meniscus. Together, they clarify the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and examine how movement patterns influence the forces and loads placed across the knee joint. Katy and Jeannette share practical strategies for changing knee loading through gait retraining, along with tools to improve muscle strength, stability, and proprioception to help protect ligaments and cartilage. They also discuss why women tend to experience more knee problems due to hormonal and biomechanical factors, and why prehab and post-surgery exercise training play a critical role in achieving better outcomes after knee surgery.

Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

00:00 Introduction: The prevalence of knee issues and arthritis
02:00 Why movement and position matter for knee health
04:08 Sponsors: The Dynamic Collective
05:58 The knee as a “cube,” not just a hinge
10:58 Ligaments vs muscles: Why ligaments are seat belts, not brakes
14:20 Cartilage and the knee meniscus: Function and damage
18:00 Changing movement patterns for knee pain: Gait retraining
24:21 Noisy knees explained
26:22 Knee instability: Strength, proprioception, and hypermobility
33:07 Listener question: Why do women have more knee issues? Hormones and Q-angle
46:40 Prehab and post-surgery knee care

Links & Resources Mentioned:
The Pelvic List 

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