Patellar CARs: Knee cap health
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Controlled articular rotations generally involve ACTIVE movement, however one joint that will benefit from passive movement is the patella. .
Why is movement important for knee health?
✅Movement and load are how the knee cap repairs itself.
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Between the knee cap (patella) and the leg (femur) is articular cartilage, which allows for smooth motion between the two bones. Unfortunately unlike other structures in the body there is no blood supply, meaning articular cartilage has a limited ability to heal or repair itself. .
If the ability to repair itself is limited then what can you do to help the process?
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“Joint motion and load are important to maintain normal articular cartilage structure and function. Inactivity of the joint has also been shown to lead to the degradation of cartilage. Regular joint movement and dynamic load is important for the maintenance of healthy articular cartilage metabolism. The development of disease such as osteoarthritis is associated with dramatic changes in cartilage metabolism. This occurs when there is a physiological imbalance of degradation and synthesis by chondrocytes. (Fox 2009)”
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Patellar mobility is essential for general knee health however for activities like Jiu jitsu it is extremely important. In Jiu jitsu often excessive weight bearing occurs through kneeling which forces a lot of practitioners to wear knee pads to reduce the load. Gentle joint movement helps reduce wear and tear.
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Learn how to take care of your body!
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Reference:
Sophia Fox, A. J., Bedi, A., & Rodeo, S. A. (2009). The basic science of articular cartilage: structure, composition, and function. Sports health, 1(6), 461-468.