Knee Problems: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention for Women

This report examines knee problems, particularly focusing on their prevalence and impact on women. It discusses the anatomy of the knee and how factors such as a wider pelvis and the female hormone estrogen contribute to increased vulnerability. The report highlights the role of the Q angle in knee problems, explaining how it influences the stress on the knee joint and can lead to conditions like patellofemoral pain syndrome. It also mentions the importance of exercises like forward lunges and hamstring stretches for managing these problems. The report references research by Hilibrand et al. (2015) and Osborne (2012) to support its claims. This report provides an overview of knee problems, focusing on the causes, symptoms, and potential treatment options, along with the exercises to reduce the risk of knee problems.

Running head: KNEE PROBLEMS 1
Knee Problems
Name
Institution

KNEE PROBLEMS 2
Knee Problems
Knee problems are sprained ligaments, meniscus tears, tendinitis and runner’s knee
which may be as a result of an injury or medical conditions. These problems affect people of all
ages and gender. However, they are mostly common in women as compared to men. According
to Osborne (2012), women are more prone to knee problems because of the anatomy of the knee.
Women have wider pelvis which makes thigh bones angle downwards sharply thereby causing a
greater stress and instability in the knee. The female hormone estrogen also makes women more
vulnerable to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury as it weakens the ligaments. Moreover,
women have smaller and weaker muscles.
The q angle is the measurement of the pelvic width. It has a relationship with the knee
problems in females because its increase creates more stress on the knee joint as well as foot
pronation. Hilibrand et al. (2015) argue that a large q angle pulls the patellar outwards as a result
of a stronger lateral pull from the quadriceps and illiotibial band friction. This may cause
maltracking hence wearing off of the knee. Excessive q angle also alters the movement patterns
which will cause valgus. This may encourage over-pronation hence knee problems.
When a high q angle pulls the patella, it may result into poor tracking of the patellar.
When the quadriceps are weak, yhe knee cartilages may be scrapped due to left and right
movement of the patella. The imbalance in the ratio of strength between the quadriceps and
hamstring muscles can result into patellofemoral pain syndrome over time. Someone with this
problem should do exercises like forward lunges, straight leg raises, stretching of hamstring and
IT bands.

KNEE PROBLEMS 3
References
Hilibrand, M. J., Hammoud, S., Bishop, M., Woods, D., Fredrick, R. W., & Dodson, C. C.
(2015). Common injuries and ailments of the female athlete; pathophysiology, treatment
and prevention. The Physician and sportsmedicine, 43(4), 403-411.
Osborne, M. (2012). Why Do Females Injure Their Knees Four to Six Times More Than Men…
And What Can You Do About It?. University of Colorado Health, 1(6).