The rowing machine is an excellent tool to maintain good health.It helps in burning unwanted body fat, strengthening the torso, legs, and shoulders. It also increasesthe overall level of stamina in your body.
But a fact sometimes concerns people about whether a rowing machine is good for our knees or not. This concern arises because the primary motion of the rowing machine happens at the knees. Therefore, users become worried.
The confusion of the users with existing knee problems is whether the issue will increase or not. And, the people with no knee issue get worried about whether they develop new knee issues with this machine or not.
So, in this article, we will enlighten the matter of whether a rowing machine negatively impacts our knees and the reactions of this machine on the knees. Let us find out.
Probable Injuries
Four of the potential knee injuries due to a rowing machine are these-
- Knee twist
- Irritation of thekneecap muscles
- Strainingligaments or tendons
- Hyperextension
The knee twist takes place because some rowers do not properly strap the feet with the pedal. Irritation of the kneecap muscles and strain of the ligaments and the tendons happen because the iliotibial bandsmay irritate against the bones of the knees.
The iliotibial bands represent the muscles running from the hips to the knees. And lastly, hyperextension is the most severe knee injury. The extra stretch of the ligaments of the knee joint takes place when the user puts way too much stress on the knee.
Ways To Prevent The Injuries
In terms of boat rowing, the seat deck can prevent twists and hyperextension. Sometimes the coaches construct a block beneath the carriage of the rowing machine’s seat to preventing hyperextension.
Experts also recommend performing rowing under a trainer who can adequately guide the users.
Proper form:
If you want to avoid knee injuries, you should always focus on your form. The rowing stroke includes two parts, which are-
- Drive
- Recovery
Firstly, the drive is the part of the stroke when you give the power to pull back. This time you have to keep your head, shoulders, and neck calm and then lean back the upper body a bit when you get to the full extension.
Secondly, at the recovery portion, you need to release and then rest until the next stroke.
Rehabilitation
The rowing machine can benefit the people requiring rehabilitation after an autologous chondrocyte implantation or ACI. It is aconventional knee surgery to replace the damaged cartilage.
For such cases, rowing is a suitable post-surgery strengthening workout, but one must be careful about hyperextension.
Summary
After going through the article, we can clearly state that a rowing machine does not adversely affect the knees. It helps the damaged knees to get stronger and the unproblematic knees to maintain their fitness.
So, everybody who wants to maintain or develop their fitness can start to use this excellent fitness gear without fearing damaging the knees.