Looking after your knees

Knees are not the best designed part of the body, massive stresses are placed on tendons, ligaments and cartilage just with the standing and walking activity of normal everyday life, therefore damaging them seriously is very easy.

Such risks are greatly magnified when working continuously in conditions that increase pressure or strain on the knee and so too is the potential for longer-term progressive damage.

Many knee injuries, including some of the most common, are not "naturally repairable" thus requiring surgery that is often more than just a simple "key hole" arthroscopy – involving lost time and money, hospital waiting lists and considerable recovery and rehabilitation times.

Anything that can help alleviate the repetitive strain and discomfort of working on knees for a long period and help avoid accelerating joint deterioration or making the articular cartilage so tender and sensitive that it is too painful to work is clearly a very good idea.

Benefits of Knee Pads

Obviously plumbers, carpet fitters, tilers, floorers and even electricians immediately spring to mind, but most building trades involve spending extended periods kneeling so everyone should give this serious consideration. Selecting the kneepads most suitable for your particular workplace is advisable.

What Choices are Available?

One possibility is "wear and forget" simple pads that slip into compartments on the front of certain workwear trouser offerings.

Most others are worn externally and can offer a variety of benefits for specific situations.

A hard cap version with a moulded knee shape is often thought best for wearing whilst on damp outside work sites as they offer maximum protection against impact shocks. It is worth seeking out gel cushioning as this avoids potential uncomfortable wrinkling and bunching of foam padding.

Other popular options are slip-resisting and non–marking pads that will prevent scuffing or scratching of flooring, as well as "rockers" that allow easy side to side movement and favoured by floorers.

The best kneepads also come with wide straps that are less likely to impede movement or cut into the backs of the legs, thus limiting the possibility of reduced blood flow in the legs.