K like knee

K as in Knee

The knee is one of the most important joints of our body and the largest synovial joint.  It plays an essential role in movements like walking , running and also in jumping.  It carries a lot of our body weight, so obesity is really a big factor in knee pain.  Even when you are not an athlete, injuries of the knee and knee replacement are more and more common.

 
The thickest layering of cartilage in the body can be found on the surface of the patella (the kneecap) which works as a protection for the joint.  It helps to protect the kneecap from the incredible pressure applied when the knee is flexed.  Simply climbing up and down stairs places as much as six hundred pounds of pressure on the kneecap.

Our modern world makes housekeeping a lot easier.  Things which were formerly done on our knees, like scrubbing and polishing floors, we are now doing with machines!

In olden times, people "bent the knee" to their kings.  This was a sign of their respect for the king and of their willingness to follow and obey him.  And from this ancient custom came the practice of kneeling in prayer.

There are a lot of sayings with knees:

"Don't let your sorrow come higher than your knees", "an upstanding peasant is bigger than a nobleman on his knees", "better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" … and so on.

One of the things to keep the spring in your step at any age is the health of your knees.  Use some of several NIMBLE exercises to make sure you stay NIMBLE and pain free!