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Commentary | May 12, 2021

Tactics to prevent or help heal knee pain

Your knees are one of the most used and most important joints within your body. Whether you are cleaning buoys, climbing the latterwell on a cutter, or jumping on a semi-submersible, your knees provide shock absorption, stability, and mobility. Caring for our knees is not a typical thought until they are injured and begin to disrupt our lives, however, today’s guests will teach us how to properly care for our knees. Join Cmdr. Carlos Estevez, a physical therapist at the Coast Guard Academy (CGA), and Dr. Cory Edgar, an Auxiliarist and orthopedic surgeon from the University of Connecticut, and a CGA sports team physician, as they discuss topics covering knee injuries, prevention and surgery. The discussion will happen today, March 12, 2021, on CVR Teams at 3 p.m. EDT.

“We hope to increase awareness of the effects that musculoskeletal disease has across  the active duty population, as well as, provide education regarding knee conditions,” said Estevez. “According to studies, up to 75% of the military population suffers from a lower extremity pain condition. That is a staggering statistic, given the magnitude, better care should be leveraged, [today’s discussion] is a small effort to improve awareness regarding a military public health-sized problem.”

The presenters will also discuss prevention and management strategies. Estevez actually created an acronym that contains the three basic aspects “that keep a Coastie’s body resilient S2EMPER body (Strength, Stabilization, Exercise, Mobility, Power, Endurance, Resilient),” explained Estevez. 

In alignment with the aspects mentioned, they will discuss the need to constantly engage our bodies so that they stay strong and agile. In addition, the pair will address diet and sleep habits, which they explain are areas where a good number of Coast Guard members, and Americans in general, fall short.

Resources:

  •  How to prevent and manage knee pain | HPRC 
  •  Knee | HPRC
  •  Running rewired: Your Run for Stability, Strength, and Speed book , Knee Injury Prevention: Exercises to Keep You From Getting Sidelined | Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 

If you have questions you would like addressed please email them in advance. Please click this link to attend Wellness Wednesday from your Coast Guard computer, personal computer or mobile device. Even if you do not have a CVR.mil account, you can still watch the stream via the link above. If you wish to maintain anonymity, log out of your normal (USCG/DOD) CVR account and join as a guest. You may also call (571) 388-3904; Conference ID 453 387 852#. If you have questions or suggestions, you may email us .
 


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