Knee pain affects most people at one time or another. The knees support the weight of the body and allow movement of the legs, especially in knee boards. The usual stress of years of activity and wear and tear can create pain that can range from dull to numb. Sports like kneeboarding and exercise in general have the potential to cause knee pain and injury. Even people who don’t exercise are vulnerable to knee pain from falls, sprains, or degenerative conditions like arthritis in one form or another.
In the case of kneeboarding, some types of knee pain are caused by injuries or sudden falls, especially when performing extreme tricks in the water. Other conditions are the effect of overuse or inflammation of the knee.
There are ways to have fun on the kneeling panel without causing pain in the body. This is how you can prevent knee pain.
Although kneeboarding is a fun and exciting sport, the fun wears off when you are in pain and injured. Kneeboarding makes the body more susceptible to pain, mainly because the bouncing of the board in the water puts stress on the body. It is not unusual to experience pain in the knees, back, and feet or ankles while performing the knee approach. However, there are ways to lessen the pain, if not prevent it altogether.
o The composition of the corner panel can be a factor in determining the amount of stress placed on the body. Tension can translate into pain or it can cause injury. You must be aware of the distinction in the types of knee pads as there are basically two types. Plastic backboards are thicker and tend to absorb more impact than thinner compression molded backboards. Plastic boards tend to float higher in the water, so they cause less stress on the body. However, compression molded boards are lower in the water. The trade off is that compression boards are generally better for racing and extreme tricks. They skirt better in the water, helping in the preparation of aerial maneuvers.
o Placing both types of boards with additional padding can help decrease stress on the body. The pads are best placed under the knees, shins, and ankles and attached to the board with spray adhesive or contact cement.
o When kneeboarding, as with all other towed boat sports, you should start with stretching before entering the water. You must pay attention to stretching the neck, arms, shoulders, legs, abdominal area, back and ankles. A few minutes of stretching can prevent what could become the pain of a day.
o Maintaining good posture while doing the knee plank can help prevent body pain. Instead of sitting directly on your heels with your feet directly under your buttocks, try placing your feet at an angle and to the side of your body. This placement puts the outside of the hips over the feet.
o When you get on the knee board, you should keep your back straight with your shoulders slightly back. Leaning forward adds stress to the body and gives you a feeling of less control. You must keep your arms bent and close to your body.
o Last, but very important, you must listen to your body. If you experience pain when kneeboarding, you should take steps to correct the problem.