If your knees hurt and you’re not sure why, you’re not alone.


Most people try stretching, foam rolling, generic exercises, medication, injections, or even stopping activity altogether. 


But those things rarely work long-term.  



Instead, you must address the one factor that determines how well your knees function: Load Tolerance.

What is Load Tolerance?

Load Tolerance is the amount of pain-free force your knee can produce or absorb for a specific movement, over a certain period of time, while still controlling that movement. 


It’s a measurement that helps me identify exactly how someone’s knees can improve from the inside out.



When loads or forces remain below this threshold, knee symptoms like pain, stiffness, and swelling do not occur.


But when loads exceed this threshold, it causes or worsens knee symptoms.  



For example, let’s say your right knee hurts when you stand up from a standard chair.


This means that your right knee tolerates less than half your bodyweight. 


So if you weigh 160 pounds, your knee tolerates less than 80 pounds of force when you rise from sitting.  



However, let’s say you get up from a chair while pressing down onto the armrests or the seat of the chair with your hands.  


In this case, if your right knee now feels fine, you’ve decreased the weight on your right knee to the point that the force on your knee is now below your Load Tolerance.

The Anatomy of a Strong Knee

A strong knee has a high Load Tolerance, and is able to absorb outside forces: 


  • Forces from positions like sitting or standing.
  • Forces from activities like walking, sitting down on a chair, getting off the floor or out of a car.  
  • Forces from exercises, hobbies and sports.



This knee strength results from two key structures:


(1) Articular Cartilage

This is the smooth coating on the end of your thigh bone (femur), the top of your shin bone (tibia), and the backside of your kneecap (patella). 


Healthy cartilage is durable and elastic. 


It can deform slightly under pressure and return to its original shape—allowing it to absorb everyday forces without damage. (source) 



(2) Synovial Fluid


This thick, egg-white-like fluid cushions and lubricates your joint. 


Rather than being thin and watery, healthy synovial fluid (pictured below in yellow) is viscous enough to absorb force and protect the cartilage from impact.

Improving the quality of both cartilage and synovial fluid boosts your Load Tolerance—and gives your knees the capacity to handle more activities, more comfortably.

Can you Improve your Load Tolerance?

During a Strategy Session, I ask two simple questions:

  • “What makes your knees feel better?”
  • “What makes your knees feel worse?”


These questions reveal insights about your current Load Tolerance level.


And your answers reveal whether your knees are likely to improve.



Responses that I frequently hear (to the above questions) include:

  • “My knees hurt if I sit too long.”
  • “My knees feel worse by the end of the day.”
  • “I’m okay walking short distances, but steep trails make my knees ache.”
  • “If I stand too long in the kitchen or kneel to garden, my knees get puffy.”
  • “If I avoid ______, I don’t get as sore.”


Each of these statements provide insights into how much force your knees can currently handle—and how to begin strengthening your knees.  

Examples of Load Tolerance

There isn’t just one kind of Load Tolerance.


Your knees have tolerances for various activities:

  • Sitting
  • Standing
  • Walking
  • Biking
  • Hiking
  • Yoga
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • Basketball
  • Gardening
  • Playing on the floor with kids
  • Jumping
  • Getting in and out of cars


Some of these activities place high levels of force on your knees over a short period of time, like basketball or jumping.

  

Other activities place very light force on your knees over a longer period of time, such as sitting.  


The higher your Load Tolerance for a particular activity, the more confidently you can complete the activity without knee pain or discomfort.

A Path to Stronger, Healthier Knees

By identifying your Load Tolerance—and gradually improving it—you can return to the activities you love, with less pain and more freedom.


And the best part? 


You don’t have to guess. 


I provide clients a customized way to increase their knee strength – so they can enjoy their active lives without knee pain holding them back.

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For personalized guidance to build Better Knees:

Schedule a free 20-minute Strategy Session.  (Find your best time here.)


Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any health issue or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare professional. The author of this blog and the website do not bear any responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.