If you were ever curious about recovery as an athlete, you must have heard or read about knees over toes for knee pain. A lot of athletes around the globe have implemented this training methodology into their routines, including those in individual and team sports.
But, how does it all work, and where should you start your knees-over-toes journey towards healthier, stronger, and above all, pain-free knees? Whether you’re a runner preparing for the next big event, or a casual athlete, you should consider squeezing some KOT into your routine.
Let’s talk about it.
Table of Contents
Most Common Athletic Knee Injuries
Knee injuries are common, no matter what sport you’re in. Even if you’re not into sports at all, you can expect your knee joints to deteriorate simply due to age.
With athletes, knee injuries happen for multiple different reasons, such as:
- Strange and awkward falls and landings
- Collisions and direct physical trauma
- Overuse and repetitive stress
- Wrong utilization of the lower body kinetic chain
Having these in mind, let’s quickly explore the most common knee injuries that most athletes endure at some point in time.
1. Patellar tendinitis and fractures
Also known as the jumper’s knee, patellar tendinitis is, simply put, the inflammation of the patellar tendon, a connective bridge between your tibia (shin) and your kneecap (patella). It happens due to repetitive use of the knee, during activities like running, jumping, or sometimes even cycling.
On the other hand, we have patellar fractures. These happen mainly thanks to weird landings directly on the knee, or during harsh contact in team sports.
2. Knee Dislocation
As the name suggests, knees can get disjointed, putting the bones out of place. While it does sound scary, it’s often resolved with a relocation (by a professional, of course).
Knee dislocations happen as a result of harsh contact. However, they also happen as a consequence of a leg twist, usually during a fall.
3. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
Ah, yes, the infamous ACL tear. Believe it or not, ACL tears account for almost half of sport-related injuries.
In most cases, ACL tears are caused by a sudden stop, pivot, or cutting maneuver, which happens the most in team sports. It is commonly followed by a popping or a snapping sound.
Treatment of an ACL tear depends on the circumstances and a lot of other factors, and the process ranges from physical therapy to full-on reconstructive surgery.
4. Meniscus Tears
Meniscal tears are essentially damage to the meniscus, the shock-absorbing cartilage between the tibia and the femur bone.
Most commonly, meniscus damage is seen in sports that have a lot of repetitive jumping or running, and there are various levels of damage to it. Similar to other knee injuries we mentioned, a meniscal tear can happen due to sudden movement changes, as well as over-flexing the joint.
Knees Over Toes for Knee Pain - Preventing It Before It Happens
As you can see, most athletic knee injuries happen due to either misuse or overuse of the knee joint. And knees over toes for knee pain may just be the thing you were looking for.
The whole point of knees over toes for knee pain is to teach your body to utilize the lower-leg muscles in sync. On top of that, people often underutilize the torque made by the quadriceps, transferring the force to the knees. KOT teaches us how to overcome that.
We’ve talked about KOT training quite a lot (e.g. KOT squat and KOT beginners’ guides). It is a self-explanatory training methodology that makes your knees go over the toes while squatting.
However, we could argue that the KOT method shines the most when it comes to knee bulletproofing. Knees over toes for knee pain should be a must, especially if you plan to get back on track as soon as possible.
Let’s talk about using knees over toes for knee pain (starting slow and progressing from problem resolution to injury prevention).
Knees Over Toes Exercises For Knee Bulletproofing
Before we begin, let’s put one thing out of the way: knees over toes for knee pain works best before the pain even occurs. It is a preventative measure – a methodology that allows you to strengthen your knees (and your lower body in general).
This preventative bulletproofing is done by putting the knees under stress in a controlled manner. KOT allows your body to get ready for the repetitive stress that sports bring along. It’s done through synced movements, as well as by targeting smaller muscles, like the vastus medialis oblique (aka VMO) that’s located just above the knee, on the lower part of the quadriceps.
These exercises should never be done under direct pain. Please, before you take everything on, consult your GP or physio, and make sure you’re good to go.
Start Slow
Since knees over toes for knee pain exercises are all about strength in the stretched position (aka mobility), it’s best to start with simple, less demanding stuff, and gauge your ability first.
Here’s a few beginner-level knees over toes exercises to help you build strong knees:
- Poliquin Step-up
- Single-leg stance exercises
- Bodyweight squats (to full ROM with your knees going over the toes)
- Sissy squat (use something to hold on and make sure to pad the floor for landing)
- Reverse walks and reverse sled pulls
Progress With The Right KOT Exercise Equipment
Doing knees over toes for knee pain should help you progress rather quickly (with persistence and smart programming). Of course, this doesn’t go for more complicated injury recovery, so, again – a consultation with your physio is in order.
Once you feel comfortable enough to progress, make sure to implement these into your plan:
- Slant board squats – the angle change can add a challenge while removing the stress away from the knees
- Patrick > Poliquin > Petersen step-up progression (you will need a slant board as here)
- Tibialis raises – remember, you can’t have strong knees without strong ankles
- Nordic hamstring curls – practice the controlled descent first
- ATG, aka KOT split squat – this is a test of mobility, strength, and flexibility
How Often Should You Do Knees Over Toes For Knee Pain?
The short answer – you should do knees over toes for knee pain at least once a week.
The long answer – it depends. Knee injuries come from a lot of different conditions and variables. It’s always best to consult with your doctor about how much strain you can put on your lower body during the build-up process.
One thing is for certain, though – KOT is there to help you develop every part of your lower body, from the balls of your feet, up to your hips.
Basically, if you get serious with knees over toes as a form of knee bulletproofing, you will probably progress to 2-3 times a week (if the circumstances allow it, that is).
Knees Over Toes For Knee Pain - The Verdict
There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that applies perfectly here:
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Knees over toes for knee pain is not just that – it teaches you to move your whole body in a natural, more balanced way. It’s all about that foot-ankle-knee-hip connection. And this goes double for athletes, especially lifters and runners.
So, why wait, start your journey towards bulletproof knees right now!
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